North TynesideNorth Tyneside
Our adviceline is open between 9am & 5pm, Monday to Friday: 0300 3309 047
  • Home
  • Get Advice
    • Call Us
    • Visit Us
    • Online/Self-Help
    • Email Us for a Ringback
    • Pension Wise
    • Help to Claim Universal Credit
    • Partner Referral Form
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer
    • Jobs
    • Membership Sign-Up
    • Make a Donation
    • Leave a Gift
  • Our Clients
  • About Us
    • Our Staff
    • Our Impact
    • Financials and Funding
    • NTCA Future Service Delivery – April 2022 Onwards
  • News & Campaigns
  • Contact Us
MAIN MENU MAIN MENU
  • Home
  • Get Advice
    • Call Us
    • Visit Us
    • Online/Self-Help
    • Email Us for a Ringback
    • Pension Wise
    • Help to Claim Universal Credit
    • Partner Referral Form
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer
    • Jobs
    • Membership Sign-Up
    • Make a Donation
    • Leave a Gift
  • Our Clients
  • About Us
    • Our Staff
    • Our Impact
    • Financials and Funding
    • NTCA Future Service Delivery – April 2022 Onwards
  • News & Campaigns
  • Contact Us
  • Shop Safely Online this Black Friday

    Black Friday and Cyber Monday mark the busiest shopping weekend of the year. 

    With the sales just around the corner, North Tyneside Citizens Advice is guiding consumers on how to shop safely through online marketplaces and protect themselves from scams. 

    There is currently no legal requirement for an online marketplace to check the safety of the products being sold on their site. So if you’re buying online, you should do your own checks to make sure the products you’re buying are safe. 

    Safety Checks for Online Marketplaces: 

    Check the item conforms to UK and EU safety standards. Certain items sold in the UK, including toys, electrical and gas items, must be marked as meeting certain safety standards. 

    These markings include 

    • CE marking 
    • UKCA marking 
    • UKCA and CE marking 
    • UKNI and CE marking 

    What type of selling platform is it? Does the platform allow other business or private sellers to use it? What countries are able to sell on the platform? 

    How can you pay? Make sure you pay using secure payment methods and be wary of sellers that try to change details or payment methods once you’ve purchased. 

    Buying Toys: 

    If you’re buying toys there are other checks you should do. 

    Check if the item is a toy — There are many items that can look like toys or are advertised as toys but are not suitable for children. 

    Check the age suitability for your child and the product you are considering buying — do the pictures of the child in the picture match the age warnings on the product? 

    Know who owns the brand of toy or game — look for that name when searching an online marketplace, as well as on the packaging when you receive it. 

    When the item arrives, check it over before you give it to a child. Check for faults, detachable small parts, access to stuffing and loose or accessible batteries or magnets. 

    Watch Out for Scams: 

    Does it seem too good to be true? 

    If it seems too good to be true — it probably is. This is especially true for products which are ‘must-haves’ or are sold out in major retailers. It might seem like the perfect present, but you might end up with nothing! 

    Check you’re buying from a legit retailer 

    Do some background research into the company. Start with an internet search about the company. Seeing what others say can help you find out if it’s legitimate or not, but remember reviews can also be fake! You should also check how they can be contacted, where in the world they are based and whether they are part of a consumer protection scheme. 

    How do they want you to pay? 

    Be cautious when a retailer asks you to pay by an unusual means such as in itunes vouchers, crypto currency or via bank transfer. These are harder to track and lack the vital protections that you get when paying by debit or credit card or by a third party app such as PayPal. However you pay — check the terms and conditions to make sure you know what you’re paying for. 

    If you are scammed online, our Scams Action service is here to help. Contact us over the phone (Mon — Fri 9am to 5pm) on 0808 250 5050 or via webchat. You can also use our online helper tool to identify whether something is a scam. 

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
    • RSS News Updates

      RSS Feed

    • Our Campaigns

      • 73% of people in North Tyneside targeted by scammers as the cost-of-living crisis bites
        73% of people in North Tyneside have been targeted by a scammer so far this year as the cost-of-living crisis takes hold, new research by North Tyneside Citizens Advice has found. Of those people targeted by a scam, the top five most common types of scams ...
      • Current Campaigns
        We help our clients and people in North Tyneside by campaigning on their behalf. Our aim is to improve the policies and practices which affect people’s lives and create a fairer society.
    • News Posts

      • 73% of people in North Tyneside targeted by scammers as the cost-of-living crisis bites 13th June 2022
      • “Now it is about people not being able to afford the essentials” – Listen to us on World at One 26th May 2022
      • Local charity urges more support as cost-of-living crisis mounts in North Tyneside 14th March 2022
  • Get Advice

    • Call Us
    • Visit Us
    • Online/Self-Help
    • Email Us for a Ringback
    • Pension Wise
    • Help to Claim Universal Credit
    • Partner Referral Form
  • Get Involved

    • Volunteer
    • Leave a Gift
    • Donate
    • Membership Sign-Up
  • CAB in Action

    • News
    • Campaigns
    • What Our Clients Say

  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Trustee Board Login
North Tyneside Citizens Advice is a registered charity, number 1154666 | Registered Office: Camden House, Camden Street, North Shields, NE30 1ND | Registered in England, number 07949964 | We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN617687 | Web design by Moocow Media
  • Twitter

  • Facebook

  • You Tube