Nick Blencowe, chief operating officer of Citizens Advice Rural Cambs gives advice about shopping online and how to avoid the scammers.

Lots of people do their shopping online these days, it’s convenient and can save you time. But as more and more of us move online, so are scammers, with their tactics becoming more sophisticated all the time.

While scams can be tricky to recognise there are always things you can look out for and steps you can take to protect yourself from falling foul to a scammer.

The golden rule to remember is that if it seems too good to be true then it probably is. This goes for products which are ‘must-haves’, are sold out at major retailers, or are heavily discounted.

If you’re buying from a site you haven’t used before, do some research before hitting buy.

Find the company’s return and refund policies so you know your rights if something goes wrong with your purchase. You should also look up the company’s address, this can normally be found in the website’s ‘contact us’ section and should have a street name, not just a post office box.

Also take some time to see what other people have said about the website. Start with an internet search and look at different review websites, don’t rely on reviews the company has put on its own website.

Be very wary of people contacting you out of the blue on social media or via text and email offering an item for sale or deal on something. And scammers will often ask you to pay in unusual ways, or put you under pressure to buy very quickly.

Do report it, this alerts authorities to scammers’ techniques and prevents others from being taken advantage of. You can report a scam to Citizens Advice or Action Fraud.

INFO: Consumer Helpline: 0808 223 1133; CARC Adviceline: 0808 278 7807 - Monday to Friday 09.30 to 15.30, www.citizensadviceruralcambs.org.uk and 01353 665555. The Ely office has a drop-in from Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm at The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, CB7 4EE. www.citizensadviceruralcambs.org.uk.