As the holiday rush hits its peak this week, expect to see a lot more people shopping online.  Crowded malls, long lines, and time constraints are usually what drive people to shop on line, but this year it also has a lot to do with prices.  Many online retailers are offering free shipping and significant discounts on merchandise, even better than the bricks-and-mortar stores.  The only problem with buying from some of these online retailers is there is no way to tell if the quality of the merchandise is what they say it is, at least not until after it has been delivered.  Many scammers hide out on the internet this time of year, making it easy for shoppers to be fooled. 

A good example of this is the Philip Stein watch scams that spread around the Internet through a string of replica watch companies.  As soon as the watches were featured on Oprah, replica watch makers started creating a cheap, phony version of them.  It wasn’t until these replicas caused several wearers to question the validity of Teslar technology that they started being called a Teslar scam.   Of course, we all know that the watches they had weren’t real, but many people actually thought they owned a real Philip Stein (for under $100) and launched smear campaigns to discredit the technology behind them. 

Before you buy a Philip Stein watch this year, be sure to check the Philip Stein web site to be sure your retailer is listed on the “authorized Philip Stein retailers” list.  The real ones work so well to relieve stress, help the wearer sleep better, and elevate their overall sense of well being.  Falling for a Philip Stein watch scam could really ruin your holidays, so make sure you are buying a real one.