What to look for:
1. The website does not end in .com
Our website is registered as electra.trekbikes.com. While our authorized retailers may differ slightly, you will never see Electra use:
.club
.site
.top
2. The site uses a nonsensical combination of letters
Scam sites use a variety of URLs in an attempt to appear legitimate or confuse consumers by choosing words and letters that are close to the brand name.
3. The deal is too good to be true
If an advertisement is telling you that the bike you want is now 70%–90% off, they are lying to you. Do not click on the ad. Do not give them your money.
4. The website's content is poor
We take pride in building our brand online and hold our authorized retailers to a similar standard. If the website is poorly designed, the language is sloppy, or it is devoid of product information, product photography, etc., it is not a legitimate website.
5. The site was advertising on social media
While Electra and our authorized retailers do advertise on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, so do fake websites. Again, look at the URL, the offer and the advertisement’s content and think before you click.
6. The contact information is suspicious
Electra and our dealers hold ourselves to a very high standard of customer service. If you cannot reach the person you are buying from, do not buy from them.
7. You cannot pay with a credit or debit card
Any site asking you to pay either with cash, check, wire transfer or money order is not a legitimate website. If a site ever asks you for information that seems unnecessary for a purchase, like your social security number, shop elsewhere.
8. The site is relatively new
You can check to see how long a website has existed by entering it into archive.org. If the site is brand new and offering steep discounts, do not purchase anything from them.
9. The site does not ask you to pick a preferred dealer
All Electra bikes ordered online must be shipped to an authorized Electra dealer for assembly. If you are not asked to select a dealer for bike delivery, do not buy from the site.
If you feel you have been a victim of a fake website
If you feel as though you may have given your personal information to a fraudulent website, call your bank or credit card company. Unfortunately, there is little Electra can do if you have given money or information to a fake website. Electra and its dealers do not match prices found on fake websites.