Fake Shops

To all you Loungers,

today I stumbled into the trap of a fake shop. I can't name it here because I would be held accountable for my claim and would have to provide proves in a juristical sense.
But just from the way, the order was processed and the mail I received and payment practise, and contact links leading nowhere and after research I am more than convinced. I have no doubt.

All I can say here to help you to not fall into the same trap, by now is:
They offer Bronson N-1 Deck Jackets for 80-90 $ with free shipping anywhere in the world (sigh). I found nearly identical shops after a quick search. All have the same kind of system. These shops offer also furniture, jewelry, clothing, sports goods and such. And they have crazy names. This was 119(20)12.com (now it's out, just put letters instead of numbers, each number stands for the place in the alphabet!)
They show Visa and paypal payment choices, but the only one that works is by credit card. After you created your "account" you are forwarded to their payment site, where you enter your credit card data (sigh) but you will notice (I hope you will not go on from here!) after you press enter (don`t do!) that what you see then (yes, I did) differs from what you are used to see. When you are as stupid as I was today, you receive an email from "robotservice@storeserviceexpert.com" (sigh) where your payment is "confirmed" but they tell you, that on the bill on your credit card you will find a different reciever than your shop (sigh sigh sigh). They claim in their mail that this was only for his internal systems. But of course there is nothing about what you bought, how much of it and such. I locked down my credit card immediately. But of course there is no guarantee, that my 85 $ will not be drawn. At least they can not use my data any longer. Maybe I was quick enough and they can't draw the money anymore. I don't know. Lessen learnt and payed for.

These sites seem to function like with a hidden search engine, and seem to create a shop surface which looks extremely trustful (believe me, I am not that stupid!). They seem to take the images and descriptions from other (trustful and real) websites. They even include the forms where you can put in size and number and you will even find a size card (but with a watermark from a shop you maybe know well). You can't believe the price, but then you think: what the hell, maybe they can really offer this price considering cheep manufacture costs in China... But of course - it's fake.

As I always was one of those who thought of themselves to be VERY careful, knowing a lot, would NEVER fall into a trap like this, I hope I can warn you, to really look double before you buy. This was sooo damn real looking. No need to be a fool to be ripped. Even non-fools get caught sometimes...

Now you can call me the most stupid being on this planet and call me names but I think there are many people who are ashamed and embarresed enough to not talk about publicly what they have done after they had fallen into this trap. I decided to "out" myself as stupid and hope I can keep at least some of the readers from this and to remember all again to look very close!! These shops get better in their mimicry!

Cats

CatsCan said:

To all you Loungers,

today I stumbled into the trap of a fake shop. I can't name it here because I would be held accountable for my claim and would have to provide proves in a juristical sense.
But just from the way, the order was processed and the mail I received and payment practise, and contact links leading nowhere and after research I am more than convinced. I have no doubt.

All I can say here to help you to not fall into the same trap, by now is:
They offer Bronson N-1 Deck Jackets for 80-90 $ with free shipping anywhere in the world (sigh). I found nearly identical shops after a quick search. All have the same kind of system. These shops offer also furniture, jewelry, clothing, sports goods and such. And they have crazy names. This was aaitab.com (now it's out!)
They show Visa and paypal payment choices, but the only one that works is by credit card. After you created your "account" you are forwarded to their payment site, where you enter your credit card data (sigh) but you will notice (I hope you will not go on from here!) after you press enter (don`t do!) that what you see then (yes, I did) differs from what you are used to see. When you are as stupid as I was today, you receive an email from "robotservice@storeserviceexpert.com" (sigh) where your payment is "confirmed" but they tell you, that on the bill on your credit card you will find a different reciever than your shop (sigh sigh sigh). The claim this was only for his internal systems. But of course in this mail there is nothing about what you bought, how much of it and such. I locked down my credit card immediately. But of course there is no guarantee, that my 85 $ will not be drawn. At least they can not use my data any longer. Maybe I was quick enough and they can't draw the money anymore. I don't know. Lessen learnt and payed for.

These sites seem to function like with a hidden search engine, and seem to create a shop surface which looks extremely trustful (believe me, I am not that stupid!). They seem to take the images and descriptions from other (trustful and real) websites. They even include the forms where you can put in size and number and you will even find a size card (but with a watermark from a shop you maybe know well). You can't believe the price, but then you think: what the hell, maybe they can really offer this price considering cheep manufacture costs in China... But of course - it's fake.

As I always was one of those who thought of themselves to be VERY careful, knowing a lot, would NEVER fall into a trap like this, I hope I can warn you, to really look double before you buy. This was sooo damn real looking. No need to be a fool to be ripped. Even non-fools get caught sometimes...

Now you can call me the most stupid being on this planet and name me names but I think there are many people who are ashamed and embarresed enough to not talk about publicly what they have done after they had fallen into this trap. I decided to "out" myself as stupid and hope I can keep at least some of the readers from this and to remember all again to look very close!! These shops get better in their mimicry!

Cats

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I sometimes use this to check a site's legitimacy.
https://www.scamadviser.com/

That was exact the site I found when it was too late! Good tip for prevention of future mistakes. But these fake shop websites change so quickly obviously. All they say about the site that fooled me is "maybe it is to new to have a good reputation. We give them the benefit of the doubt).

I feel absolutely horrible. At least there is a better TV program today than it used to be for some time

I had same thing happen to me searching for an out of production Akubra. Came up under obberrezli, great price and like you said they had everything. Even added a pair of Persols since everything was so cheap $50 total plus they offered me a 10% discount. I didn’t completely trust the site.. too good to be true but I was able to pay via PayPal so I thought I’d be safe to get my money back which I was unable to do. Site was immediately no longer available and I found if you google search same items they’ll come up again at same price but under different weird named sites. My payment went to a Chinese named site. $50 lesson learned again. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Yamahana said:

too good to be true but I was able to pay via PayPal so I thought I’d be safe to get my money back which I was unable to do.

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I was under the impression that paying via PayPal is a guarantee protection against scams. If you don't receive what you've ordered, paypal will reimburse you. You're saying that's not the case?

I evidently ended up waiting to long. this happened in May at the front of COVID. At first they said needed to give more time for delayed overseas shipment due to COVID. Then I forgot about it and when I tried to make a case it had been just over 6 months and they wouldn't open a case. So partially my fault for waiting too long.

Websites that list stuff much cheaper than anywhere else or long discontinued items (e.g. from previous seasons no longer sold anywhere else for quite some time) should immediately raise a red flag. They also normally all have generic templates (cookie cut websites so to speak although they evolve) and if you go to the contacts page it always points to nowhere really. I know in hindsight it’s always easier...

Thankfully it wasn’t much you lost, I’d be more concerned about misuse of personal data. Hope you sort that out.

I don't know, what they can do with my data. They have my email adress, but my credit card is now disabled. They have my post adress but this is no secret. Can they do any harm?

CatsCan said:

I don't know, what they can do with my data. They have my email adress, but my credit card is now disabled. They have my post adress but this is no secret. Can they do any harm?

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Call your credit card provider and explain everything. You can also call your countries credit rating service, explain everything to them and they will attach a note to your file to be on the lookout for additional nefarious activities.

I have talked to the credit card provider. They say that they can't stop orderly transfers of money from their side. But the card is shut down now anyway and a new card with new data is ordered, so maybe the "seller" comes too late for drawing the money from the account. I don't know. There was no money movement at least yet as we speak. I can only wait and see.
It is such a bad feeling to have been robbed. I was robbed once before. But this was something like a good old style robbing. When I was younger I ran into a group of young and very poor looking ladies, or they ran into me, to be correct. They begged and I refused and went on. A moment later my purse was gone which I could have sworn was hidden at the safest place down inside my clothes. But: this was in Rome so you are prepared that these things happen. The saying was "you have not seen Rome if you weren't robbed". It did not take long and I could finally laugh about me. Had to wait two hours sitting on the Spanish Stairs while I was waiting for my Amerian Express Cheques to be renewed. The bureau was very close to the Spanish Stairs. April sun was shining. A totally beautiful day in Rome.

But to be robbed in a virtual way in a cyber space feels different. It is the same I know, but it feels strange. It is so unvisible, unreal, you experience this while at home, where you feel safe. And it was me, I let them rob me deliberately. Like I was sitting on my porch and phone random people to come by my home and take what they like.

I will come over this. There are worse things happening to people. But how easy I was fooled is astonishing. Good to know that I am not the only one here.

I think this is a good way to overthink greed if this is the right word for it. Like a predator I launched myself on my supposed prey and was cheated.

I keep getting Farcebook ads selling "Genuine" new Belstaff Panther leather jackets for £54 I think it was! They even have all the Belstaff photos from their site. I reckon most of those Farcebook ads are your fake shops.

Gareth

I had this happen- a site looked legit selling Ray-Bans for $20 ea.
I bought some for my wife and son, but immediately had second thoughts. I'd paid thru paypal, so I contacted them right away. They replied that they would NOT step in...
I was really surprised when 3 weeks later the glasses showed up! They definitely weren't Ray-bans, and were even missing screws. My son didn't really care and wears his. My wife's fell apart in 2 days- lesson learned.

Same thing happened to me with RM Williams, the site was almost a copy of the original one and being Black Friday I thought the offer was legit until I saw the bank statement that it was paid to a Chinese account (RM’s are Aussie). I contacted my bank reported the company (which was already known to them as scam) and they cancelled the payment and reimbursed me.
Lesson learned and no harmed done.
If it looks too good a deal to be true, it’s most likely because it’s not.

Cats - you've done the right thing with your credit card - you should, under EU law, be able to get your money back form the CC company, I believe? (I'm rusty on that bit, it's a long time since I researched online payments!). Either way, at least you limited your loss. I nearly got caught out this week too - been seeing ads on facebook for some beautiful looking leather lace to toe boots for GBP£100. From past experience, that *can* buy quality in China (from a family run firm with reasonably paid relative to the local economy workers), but buying from a company called something like "Hallwoeen123" and no guarantee..... I decided to pass. The shame is that because we're all now that bit more wary because of scammers, a legit but new business could lose out. Hopefully you acted fast enough to stop them charging you. If it shows up on your next bill, I'd challenge it. At least they can't additionally charge you further.

Yamahana said:

I evidently ended up waiting to long. this happened in May at the front of COVID. At first they said needed to give more time for delayed overseas shipment due to COVID. Then I forgot about it and when I tried to make a case it had been just over 6 months and they wouldn't open a case. So partially my fault for waiting too long.

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Paypal are pretty ruthless about their deadlines. I got hit by that over Covid too - some things I'd ordered to go to the office, then by the time I was able to get back in, six months later, some "signed for" deliveries had been returned to sender. Most of the companies were fantastic about it, though one (Music Magpie) just shrugged it off with "you're over the 30 days". Gave them the benefit of the doubt and tried to re-order the same (rare) CD with them again - they sent me completely the wrong item, not even the same artist. A legit company there, but poor service - won't buy from them again. Sometimes we all get hit online.

all those ads in FB and IG, about stuff from china you could get for much lower price but you have to wait because it is collectively preordered, are all scam sites.

Edward said:

Hopefully you acted fast enough to stop them charging you. If it shows up on your next bill, I'd challenge it. At least they can't additionally charge you further.

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Thanks mate for your words! They unfortunalety charged the money in the morning. I challenged it but the CC provider is stoic about it.

Edward said:

Paypal are pretty ruthless about their deadlines

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There are many cases out there, where paypal is not helpful after failed purchases in a scam shop. The problem is, that these shops are operating like a hydra. If you cut off one head, a new one pops up in the next minute. And as a new shop it starts anew with the benefit of the doubt. So we customers have to wait for the items being delivered and have to prove that the item was wrong, not as described, not delivered.. if so, the vendor has the right to set the record straight again and send you a refund or a new item. The vendor wants to have the item you reclaimed back. This costs you so much, that it isn't worth it.

The only way is to avoid buying from them. But it gets harder to recognize them as scam. You are right about new real businesses from China. They suffer from the bad reputation of the scam shops. The only way for the future would be, that chinese government and foreign governments would make it easier for customers to object to an online trade like it is usual here in Europe and GB. Chinese law is too different from ours when it comes to contracts. And paypal and some CC providers make it very complicated to get your money back.

So in clear words: avoid aaitab.com (it is MOST likely that it is a scam business). I found this shop in normal googel search results. I bet they will be gone in a few weeks and pop up again under a different name but with the same website matrix. I guess that many of these "shops" are run buy just one guy.

FB is full of this crap at the moment, I’ve seen BK and Eastmans jackets for sale from some made up company for $50 & BK M-51 parkas the same. I let Eastmans know that their site photos were being used and I’ve left ‘spoilers’ on these advertisements comments section pointing out they are scammers. Had only reply from one of these ‘companies’ saying that they are selling so cheaply because other vendors are so greedy, even ‘liked’ my post saying they were frauds

Another favourite this week is remote controlled Willy’s jeeps for $40 that retail in real shops for $400. Sellers appear to originate from China, check their FB profiles & its obvious they were thrown together in 5 minutes, random pics from the net & email addresses with names like ‘John smith’ in them to engender trust. Check the company name on Google and most of them don’t exist outside of FB, check their selling platform on Google & scam alerts come up.

Quite a few people have been had & are now posting warnings, it was Loakes shoes sales a couple of months back. Reported scam ads to FB for a while but never heard anything back. A plague of the Internet age I suppose, also puts people off trading with genuine vendors.

To add to the above, these vendors can appear quite genuine.

Have just come off of FB where the scooter community are sharing an ad for a motorcycle helmet visor wiper for sale, friend just forwarded to me, lots of info & a video. Checked the product on google and found that the product hasn’t been released yet and a warning of scam vendors on social media..if this had been a month ago I would have fallen for it...