The Consumer Protection Office wants to ensure consumers have information on how to safely shop online during the busy holiday season including Cyber Monday on Dec. 2.
Before entering any financial information online, consumers should ensure they are using a secure site. A secure site always has an icon of a lock in the locked position in the address bar. A web address beginning with ‘https://’ may also be visible, though not necessarily, as popular browers such as Google Chrome are no longer showing this.
Consumers should research a company before making a purchase, as this can reveal if others have had problems with the seller. Contacting an organization such as the Better Business Bureau may also provide information about a company’s reputation. Before paying, consumers need to check the terms and conditions of the purchase and confirm the final price.
Even if consumers take steps to protect themselves while shopping online, they may still encounter difficulties with a transaction. The Consumer Protection Act helps online shoppers by:
- protecting against the unauthorized use of credit card information,
- limiting a consumer’s liability to $50 when credit card information is used without proper authorization,
- providing the opportunity to cancel an internet sale if the seller fails to deliver goods or services, and
- requiring credit card companies to reverse or cancel a credit card charge if the consumer was entitled to but did not receive a refund from the vendor.
Visit manitoba.ca for more tips on protection while online shopping. By knowing the rules and understanding their rights, consumers will enjoy safer online shopping experiences on Cyber Monday, during the holiday season and year-round.
