DAGUPAN CITY, August 24 (PIA) – While recognizing the contribution of online shopping to an active economy, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) cautions buyers against fraud and scams when shopping online.
Provincial Director Peter Mangabat of DTI-Pangasinan warned consumers to be wary of online sellers that have no business name, address, help desk, live chat or contact details as these unscrupulous individuals take advantage of others when selling goods through the internet.
Mangabat mentioned some tips to protect consumers who transact online.
He said that buyers should know more about the website and the product being offered through thorough research and inquiries.
“Check if their advertisement has an approved sales promo permit with DTI by visiting the agency’s website: www.dtincr.ph,” he added.
Mangabat also advised online shoppers to avoid providing any credit information to anybody.
“Inquire on the existence of the same product being offered online with local stores and compare the offered prices,” he said.
DTI considers online shopping more convenient for consumers provided that DTI or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued permits to such sales promo campaigns, said Mangabat. (VHS/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan)
