Pre-order e-mail from Farnell

I got an e-mail from Element14/Farnell today asking me to make my pre-order, although they have several websites on the e-mail, namely:

Farnell.com

Element14.com

PremierFarnell.com

Although I have every faith that this e-mail is genuine, I've never dealt with this company before and for them to have so many websites, it does cause the need for concern - especially as the order link goes to a completely different website than the link on the Raspberry Pi home page. Even if this e-mail is 100% genuine, what's to stop so someone setting up a scam to collect credit card details by setting up a website like FarnellPremier.com pretending to be selling pre-orders?

Just to be safe, I wont be handing over my credit card details until this is sorted.

I agree.

Page's design is very stupid:

1. Select country

2. Choose between Business and Consumer. For Consumer it says: "Please note as a non trade customer you will be directed to our Export website to place your order." I choose Consumer.

3. Then you are asked to fill form with delivery address and credit card number. Something has to be filled also in credit card fields that you can continue. They are required fields.

4. I click "Submit order"

5. I get page full of links to export websites, sorted by country names. I wonder what was done with the credit card number I gave in previous page....

6. I can't continue since my country Finland is not included in page's list.

On the country selection page, look at the top right. There, it says "Farnell Export". Click it and continue (you probably need to login now).

I`ve had the "pre-order" email from Farnell as well even though I`ve already got a response email from CPC (which I treat as the UK retail arm of Farnell anyway) some time ago.

I don`t remember contacting Farnell, and the dropdown menu font looked very large.

Clicking on the consumer link takes you to http://export.farnell.com, the Raspi order page is Https://export.farnell.com, I don`t think its fake, its just looks as if its been put there as quickly as possible and looks at odd.

I did`nt submit any details Btw.

I don't think it's fake either, but out of principle I wont be submitting any details until they can make everything look authentic - because if the real pages have so many things that don't look authentic, some fraudster could easily set up a phishing website that people can't tell is fake.

I gave them my credit card details - the page looked reasonably authentic to me.

disclaimer: I work as a fraud investigator for a large credit card company... my money is safe!

But if you get caught your reputation won't be !

export.farnell.com is linked from the main Farnell web page, so I think it's ok.

I got exactely the same issue while ordering. The webpage looks fine, so I hope the order went through...

redid with a different pc and a different browser and went through smoothly...!

The successful try was with Chrome. Good luck!

and once ordered when approximately will be send to customers?.. i hope is not after a months

when they have them - we don't know yet

I already have an account, but strange thing is, my order history is blank. So I am unable to see if E14 are going to send me one or not. I registered with Farnell on april 1, and got a response, I entered my cad details, so as far I can imagine, I am in the queue. puzzled