In the marketplace, everyone loves a good deal as much as they hate being ripped off. And if you want to avoid being cheated when, for example, you buy used building materials or used furniture, you should take precautions.
Here you will get 7 good tips on what you can do.
Investigate the seller carefully before buying used
You can reduce the risk of being scammed if you spend a few minutes researching the seller. Is the person open about their identity? If you are shopping privately, a phone number is a good start. If there is only one mobile number on the seller, please ask also about the seller’s full name and address.
Check whether the number you have been given can be looked up via 118 or Krak and linked to an address and a real person.
You can also do the simple trick of sending a krone via MobilePay without completing the transaction. When you do so, the recipient as a registered user of MobilePay will appear with a name.
Some people have a secret address and a secret number without there being anything hidden about it. But even so, it provides extra security to know that the information you receive can be easily cross-checked online.
2. Check what others are saying about the seller
If possible, check other users’ ratings of the seller on the platform you’re buying used through. For example, almond round dining table Certain sites also have a validation system where the site checks the seller’s identity using, for example, NemID. As a general rule, it will appear clearly if the given user is NemID-validated.
In general, you should always use your common sense when buying used. If an offer seems suspicious or too good to be true, it very well may be. Pay extra attention if the ad text seems like a bad, automatic translation from English. It should also trigger extra consideration if an ad is written in Danish, but where the seller replies to your inquiry in English.
Popular trading platforms like Facebook Marketplace and DBA are great for finding and getting a discount on exactly what you need, but also favorite targets for scammers and criminals selling knock-offs.
3-Be extra careful with distance shopping
If at all possible, it is advantageous to shop locally when buying used. As far as possible, attend to the seller’s private address so that you can ensure that the item is in order before you pay. Be wary if the seller does not want to meet, keeps postponing the meeting, or is difficult to get in touch with.
If, due to lack of time or geography, you still choose to buy without seeing the product first, you should put extra effort into researching who you are dealing with. If it’s hard to figure out, you should consider shopping elsewhere.
Conversely, if you trade with a person or a company that stands up freely, the probability of being cheated is lower, because it automatically becomes more difficult to shirk one’s responsibility.
4-Get information in writing
In any case, ensure that all agreements and discussions about the specific merchandise are in writing – especially if you are buying more expensive items.
If you are in the market for, for example, used building materials, where you cannot see for yourself the quality or any faults and defects, it is a good idea to have written down exactly what you are buying. Also, ask for original receipts. In this way, you are in a stronger position if it turns out that the given building material has a decisive defect that you have not been informed about.
5-Choose your payment method wisely
According to Furniture experts, Mobile Pay payment or card payment in online shops is the most sensible means of payment when you shop with companies or buy furniture. Both parts can be returned to the bank if you are cheated. The bank, on the other hand, cannot help if you pay in cash or by bank transfer.
Trading with private individuals, the bank cannot help you, regardless of how you pay. Therefore, be extra careful when dealing with private individuals. Your right of withdrawal also does not apply in a transaction between two private individuals, while it is mandatory if you buy an item online from a company.
Payments through the PayPal payment service can be an alternative where you can also get help in certain situations, even though PayPal does not follow UAE consumer legislation.