Recently, DermaFix Cosmeceutical Skin Care has been under attack by a fake brand, called Dermavix. Dermavix has won ground online, with many pop-up websites offering false promises, entrapping clients with a ‘free sample, only pay for shipping’ deal. Subsequently, many people have fallen victim to this trap and as a result, have had money illegally taken from their bank account or credit cards. As a brand, we have publicly distanced ourselves from Dermavix, yet, as many are still falling victim of this scam, DermaFix Cosmeceutical Skin Care continues to be on the receiving end of much anger directed towards Dermavix.
So how do you stop yourself from falling for a scam, and more specifically a Dermavix scam?
Remember that scams target everyone, any race, any age and any income bracket, all of us may be vulnerable to a scam at some stage or another. Scams succeed because they look like the real deal. Scammers are getting smarter, making use of technology, products and services, enticing stories and deals, anything to try and catch you into parting with valuable information including personal details and banking information. It is therefore vitally important that you do as much as you can to protect yourself against scammers. So, what can be done to avoid being scammed?
- Always know who you are dealing with before parting with any information.
It is advisable to research the product or service on offer thoroughly. Often if a scam exists, there will be information online alerting you, the end consumer, to this. A search for “Dermavix” will render many complaints and warnings about it being a scam.
- Do not open anything that looks suspicious.
This includes opening unknown emails, following links or attachments within an unknown source, email, or clicking on pop-up windows or advertisements. When you are unsure, always try to investigate the source of the message by conducting an independent search, either through a phone book or online.
- Keep your personal details secure
Be cautious as to how much personal information you share on social media sites. Scammers will always be on the lookout for ways of getting your attention and targeting you with enticing scam offers.
- Be wary of unusual payment requests
Scammers may ask you to use an unusual payment method. These can include text requests for confirmation of details or even requesting you to pay with pseudo currency such as bitcoin.
How do I know if it’s safe to enter my credit card details?
When checking out on an online platform, always make sure that the payment portal and site is secure. Be on the lookout for a small ‘padlock’ symbol, often shown in the address bar. The website address may also begin with https://, the ‘s’ in this case standing for ‘secure’. Before performing payment, always make sure that the website you are on is legitimate and trustworthy.
How do I investigate companies before closing a sale?
In this day and age, Google is your best ally in validating information. A company advertising online should always have a valid telephone number as well as physical address displayed on the website. Potential reviews may also exist and very often, if something is a scam, you may come across reviews warning others of this.
The lesson to be learnt is to be vigilant in all situations when handing over important information. For more details please contact us directly on 0861 28 23 23 or via email info@dermafix.co.za.