People with wood-burning stoves in France are being warned to watch out for online website scams relating to apparently ‘low-cost’ heating wood and wood pellets, with cheap and fast delivery.
Consumer association UFC-Que Choisir raised the alert after several people reported having ordered wood or wood pellets – with ‘fast delivery’ – online.
But instead of receiving their delivery, the buyers found that their bank account had been charged, and in some cases, by hundreds of euros, or even up to €1,000.
After the payment, the ‘sellers’ are uncontactable, and the bank is unlikely to offer victims a refund because the payment was ‘authorised’ by the client.
UFC-Choisir has identified some scam websites, some of which are already closed, but others that remain open.
These include:
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Bois-ecologique.com
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Bois-energie-plus.com
Users should not visit or purchase from these websites, and stay alert to websites that appear to offer ‘too-good-to-be-true’ offers.
How can I detect a scam site?
When using websites online, UFC-Choisir recommends staying alert to clues that the site is a scam, including:
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Low prices or overly attractive promotions
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Very fast or cheap delivery offers
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Spelling mistakes
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Payment by bank transfer, with the obligation to prove the confirmation of the bank transaction before receiving the order.
“Online shopping on trusted sites does not use such devious processes,” said UFC-Que Choisir. It also recommends that users should check whether…
