You think you were scammed?

About a few weeks back, you were enjoying you off-day at home, with no programs on hand, you decided to do some online shopping at the comfort of your own home since it was so hot outside...

Some recommendations here... Some reading there, you visited a recommended online store mentioned in a forum. A few clicks here and there... YES! You found the dress you have been looking for months! And along with that dress, you added a few more blouses, t-shirts and shorts to your shopping cart.
Immediately, you placed an order and "whip" out your credit card to make the payment. Once done, you received an email from the online store thanking you for placing an order with them and that your dress will arrive within 5 to 7 working days. You were so excited about it and went around telling your friends about the dress you just bought =D

One week has gone by... No news... You decided to send an email to the website asking for the status and roughly when it will arrive. You were given a reason and it should arrive in a few days time...
10 days went by... No news, instead of making a fuss first, you decided to wait a few more days, maybe there were some delay in the delivery. Two weeks went by, still no delivery... By now, you must be worried whether have you been scammed... You tried sending a few emails to the website; No replies. You started to call & sms your friends telling them about what happened, and soon their responses started to make you even more worried...

Oh my goodness! "I'VE BEEN CHEATED!" flashed across your mind. Your worst online shopping nightmare came true, despite the fact that you have taken all the necessary precautions. 

Now, if you think you handed out pertinent details like your credit card number to the “wrong” person, then there are necessary actions that must be made. So instead of finishing up another box of Kleenex, follow these simple steps to ensure the safety of your finances: 


Call the Police -  First, gather all necessary documents like emails, phone call records, SMSes, transaction records etc. Once you gathered all these, contact your local police department and be ready to file a complaint.
Once you have done so, remember to ask them for a copy of the complaint. This is necessary for the credit company to ensure the existence of the crime. Aside from that, banks and insurance companies may require the same document as well. So dial those phone digits and make the necessary trip to the police office. And remember to file these documents properly and make multiple copies. Just in case.
Call your bank - This will prove very advisable if you think that you may be a victim of identity theft or that you’re account has been scammed. Informing the bank may let them proceed with the necessary interventions. Remember those documents you gathered earlier to file a police report? You bank will need them as well to facilitate the process.
Nowadays, Banks offer value-added services to monitor your bank transactions and inform you immediately if there is any weird transactions. Go ahead and activate this service! At the same time, you may even freeze it or file for another one. It’s easy enough, right?
Call your Credit Card company – Did you type out your credit card number as well? If you did, then it’s not yet too late to warn your credit card issuing company. Make a call and explain what happened. Then you may request for a brand new set of credit numbers to protect your old account. Some companies may charge for the new card, but it won’t cost a lot. They may also need a written account of your request. Your new credit card will be ready after a number of days.
Call your Insurance company – If you have bought an anti-theft or anti-fraud insurance policy for your credit card, then you do not need to worry much. Make a call to your insurance agent or insurance company and explain what happened. They will require some documentations to process your request, so have copies of them readily available. 
Don’t panic just yet. There are a lot of remedies available for your dilemma. You can still save the status of your finances! Follow these quick, simple steps and help fight online fraud! Shop online safely people!