How can i tell if an online shop is genuine?

Are there contact details on the site? and valid T&C's?

1. Make sure there's a contact address and phone number.

2. The phone number ideally should have a geographical prefix ie 01473, 01379 etc. Other prefixes can hide the true location of a website. 0844 and 0845 numbers are redirect services which are favoured by scammers because they can then use Skype. 0870 and 0871 numbers are not only redirects but premium rate into the bargain. Big companies like these because they can make a bit of extra money out of you whilst keeping you hanging on waiting to speak to a 'customer service' advisor. 0800 numbers, although free from a landline are also redirect services which the more sophisticated scammers sometimes use. Don't even entertain a mobile phone number. You can be anywhere in the world with a mobile.

3. If there is an address don't necessarily believe it. Copy and paste it into Google, Bing etc and see what comes up. Scammers will often use accomodation addresses or virtual offices to give the illusion of having a bricks and mortar head office.

4. Copy and paste the address into Google Street View. You'd be surprised how many websites claims of a global headquarters turn out to be a dingy terraced house in Accrington or whatever.

5. All websites have to be registered. The Domain Registration as it is known should have the name and address of the person registering it as well as the date the site was created. You can check here:

http://who.is/

Ideally, the address on there should match up with that on the website or at least be in the same town. Scammers will often try to hide these details by claiming they are non-trading, using a proxy or a privacy protection service or just plain falsifying it. Also pay attention to the registration date. Chinese counterfeiters set up thousands of websites every week selling counterfeit kack. A recently registered site should ring alarm bells.

6. Use a website reputation rating tool like Webutation or Web of Trust (WOT)

http://www.webutation.net/

http://www.mywot.com/

You can either access these as and when you need to or get them as a browser add-on. I use WOT and as an example here is MSE's rating:

http://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/forums.moneysavingexpert.com?utm_source=addon&utm_content=rw-viewsc

7. Test out the buying process. I use a wonderful website called Fake Name Generator to provide me with a name, address, phone number, email address and even credit card number if necessary.

http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/

Scammers will often claim to accept all manner of credit cards but then only allow you to pay by bank transfer or evouchers. NEVER NEVER ever pay by these methods because they are virtually non-traceable and you are unlikely to see your money or goods ordered ever again.

There are a few other checks you can make like typing into Google etc the name of the site followed by 'review', 'complaints' or 'scam' and see what comes up but the above should be enough for most websites.

Do make sure that you have a working anti-virus on your computer and that your operating system and browser have the latest updates because some websites run by criminals will try and infect your machine.

I know this sounds a lot of faffing around but it shouldn't take more than five minutes to do and, hopefully, it'll save you getting scammed.