Bad purchase from counterfeit site

Doulouz
Contributor
Contributor

I have been fooled, and made a purchase from a fraudulent seller. The site looked identical to the reputable merchant brand. Everything seemed OK...the domain name, https certificate was valid, it was advertised on Facebook, the look, the fact that Paypal was accepted as a form of payment.
Unfortunately shortly after the purchase, I discovered this site was a scam. Their PayPal account as well as the site are based in China, the email address is based on Outlook.com domain. Merchant does not respond to email. The postal address to which the home page refers to is non-existent. I opened a support case and Paypal closed it within hours, I believe without appropriate investigation and with "transaction was not unauthorized" reason. 

 

I know the transaction is "technically" authorized because it was me to initiate it. But the merchant is clearly a counterfeit scamming people with a valid PP account. I will never receive the goods I paid for.

 

The dispute is now closed and I can't find a way to reopen it. Any suggestions more than welcome.

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@Doulouz 


Chinese Web Sites or on Social Media ads easy to spot (once you know the below signs) so buyer beware.

1. No return address on the returns policy. The site will look as if its in your country (where they despatch goods from) but they will ask for returns to go back to China (returns depot) at a shipping cost often more than the item is worth.
2. No contact telephone number. if you click on contact the most you will get is webmail or an email address.
3. Rarely company address information.
4. Great pictures of items at bargain prices that turn out to be tat.
5. Fake reviews.
6. Google and you can often see previous company names as they change them once enough claims roll in and Paypal stop them using their services and start over.
7. Send fake tracking numbers to win item non receipt of item claims.

A dispute for an unauthorised transaction is telling paypal that your account was hacked and used without your consent to make that transaction.
Paypal would check IP addresses and devices and close the dispute if it was you that made the transaction.

You are only allowed 1 dispute per transaction so the only way you can get a second dispute opened is to contact Paypal (when and if you can) and see if they will open a second dispute for you.
They may decline citing policies but if you say what happened then they might open a second dispute for you.

If not then if you funded your paypal payment via a credit card then consider contacting your card issuer and see if they will help you with a chargeback?


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
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