CITIZENS Advice Tendring is warning residents to beware as thousands of customers report being ripped off on online marketplaces.

It said there were more than 13,000 problems with purchases on online marketplaces were reported to the Citizens Advice consumer service last year.

As customers turn to online marketplaces in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, Citizens Advice Tendring said it is warning residents in Tendring to be aware of the dangers.

This year’s National Consumer Week, which runs from November 26 to December 2, focuses on customer rights when buying from an online marketplace.

Citizens Advice Tendring said people don’t always know they have fewer rights when they buy from a private seller, compared to if they buy from a business.

As part of National Consumer Week, Citizens Advice Tendring suggests people check all the product information carefully before buying something on an online marketplace.

They also recommend that shoppers take extra care, such as reading previous reviews and saving screenshots of their purchases.

A spokesman for Citizens Advice Tendring said: “Far too many people are being ripped off on online marketplaces. As part of National Consumer Week we want to make sure customers know what to look out for when making a purchase and their rights if something goes wrong.

“With millions of people trying to find a bargain online on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, buyers need to beware when purchasing off online marketplaces."

“To reduce the risk of being left out-of-pocket it’s a good idea to check the product information on these sites carefully before they make a purchase.”

Citizens Advice urged online shoppers to check the product details, take screenshots of the item they want to buy, use a payment method that protects them and to go back to the seller if there’s a problem.