Purchasing textbooks can be expensive for many of us. Moreover, these books may only be useful for a single semester and you may no longer need them afterward. It makes sense why so many students look for less expensive options. However, when searching for cheaper books in a digital format like PDF, most of us don’t realize that this could be more fatal to our wallet.
E-book scams are on the rise, with cybercriminals offering cheaper E-book alternatives and then infiltrating your system to collect your credit card information, attempting to defraud you out for more than the price of the E-book.
Here are several warning signs and preventative measures you can take to protect yourself before you go down the bargain textbook rabbit hole.
Also Read: 7 PDF Search Engine Sites to Get Free PDF eBooks
How To Spot An E-book Scam?
When it comes to identifying these scam websites, there are five aspects you should keep an eye out for:
1. The Website Address (URL)
Verify the domain name and URL of the website. Secure connections are denoted by “https://” at the very start of the URL on reliable websites. Any legitimate website will be encrypted to secure itself during transactions, therefore a URL without the “https://” prefix should be a huge warning sign. Additionally, check that the URL’s spelling of the website’s name is accurate. It might be a website impersonation if, for instance, a genuine website called Knetbooks has the URL “https://www.knettbooks.com/” with the extra “t”.
Also Read: How To Get Amazon Prime Free Ebooks From Kindle Bookstore For Free?
2. Web Functionality And Design.
Authentic textbook websites make an effort to provide a user-friendly layout and usability. Look for a website that is well-structured, has easy-to-use search tools, and presents itself with a professional appearance. You might want to think about doing business somewhere else if you find mistakes, poor-quality photos, or an abundance of advertisements.
Also Read: How To Operate Apple Books On iOS Devices?
3. Costs And Payment Options.
Websites selling textbooks for a large discount compared to other reliable merchants should be avoided. Deals that look too good to be true often are. Reputable websites also provide a variety of payment methods, including credit, debit, PayPal, Amazon Pay, etc. If there are only one or two options available , exercise caution, especially if they are strange untraceable choices like cryptocurrency or gift cards.
Also Read: Top 10 Free E-Books Readers for Windows
4. Transparent Brand.
Genuine merchants typically offer clear ways to get in touch with them, such as a telephone number, an email address, or perhaps an actual address. Before making a purchase, look for this information and think about contacting them with any queries.
Also Read: 6 Great E-Book Reader Apps for Android
5. The Standing Of The Website.
Sometimes, a quick Google search for a website’s name along with checking for news articles, and customer complaints can help you to decide whether it’s reliable or not. Just keep in mind that since many bogus websites are known to generate positive evaluations, you should exercise caution when relying entirely on customer reviews and ratings.
Best Legit Discounted Textbooks Websites
Here are a few budget-friendly textbook sellers that we’ve already researched, which can save you time or provide examples of what a reliable website looks like.
If you can’t locate what you’re looking for anywhere else, AbeBooks is your best bet because of its enormous selection and reasonably low costs.
With Scribid, you can truly check out as many textbooks as you’d like for $8.99 per month (with the first month free).
One of the more modest websites, Knetbooks consistently provides free shipping and has some excellent discounts if you’re prepared to look for them.
Direct Textbook, arguably the most experienced vendor on our list, has sold over 20 million books since 2002.
SlugBooks, which specializes in used books and textbooks, is a good option if you’re seeking physical copies.
Bonus Feature: Use Systweak Antivirus To Safeguard Your PC.
With the rise in scams and cyber frauds all over the world, it is important to keep your PC safe. Cybercriminals find new ways to trick people and swindle them out of their hard-earned money. While it may not be possible to identify all the tricks used by these malicious actors, we can at least ensure that our PC is safe and secure from the malware that is being injected into our systems.
Systweak Antivirus is one such powerful antivirus that works on a real-time basis. It identifies different types of malware and removes them from your PC. Apart from malware protection, this amazing antivirus also provides Exploit and Firewall protection. With concern to malicious websites, the Systweak Antivirus offers a web protection feature that prevents users from visiting malicious and phishing websites.
Also Read: How Antivirus Helps in Protecting Your PC
How to Avoid E-book Scams: Your Guide to Secure Online Reading!
I hope you can now identify a fake E-book website from a genuine one. Cybercriminals are smart and can present a malicious website as an original one. You need to stay alert and cautious while making a transaction for E-book. Also, you can use an antivirus like Systweak Antivirus to warn you about fraudulent websites.
Please let us know in the comments below if you have any questions or recommendations. We would be delighted to provide you with a resolution. We frequently publish advice, tricks, and solutions to common tech-related problems. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Flipboard, and Pinterest.
Subscribe Now & Never Miss The Latest Tech Updates!