China Bait and Switch Scam

[FriendlyGiant]

Happy New Year All

After seeing an advertisement on internet for Twisted Car (Christmas Offer| Gesture sensing Stunt Remote Control Car, I thought I would have a look. The controls where worn on hand and activated the car moving them forward back and side to side doing crazy stuff. I purchased the cars and paid for shipping from the Shaco Store according to the invoice -SKU: HX1900162KCCH, as I felt assured that the seller was reputable seeing that PayPal was attached as a payment method. The seller’s info from PayPal is Swopply Technology Co.,Ltd and in another place the name kassadin.store appears.

When the cars finally arrived, they were not even close to what was advertised. I contacted PayPal and launched a claim in the resolution center. Emails start back and forth with PayPal as the go between. The seller agreed to take back the items and I was instructed by PayPal to ship items back and get a tracking number and receipt for return shipment, the parcel needed to be back by a certain date approx. 15 days, the shipping out too longer than that. I tried using our account at work to ship with other services but I will only post Canada Post’s charges of $96.37, as they were the most reasonable. This amount to return items that cost $34.97. PayPal did offer to help out with return shipping with an offer of $30.00. Do the math? If I ship back the items and even get my money back, PayPal kicks in 30 bucks, it would still have cost me an additional $31.40 and I end up with nothing but heartache… HMMM…. now it is making sense. What a scam. Thinking about this if 10,000 people like me purchased these items and tried (stressed tried) to return them, most that have a brain would just forget about it and take the lost. I sent PayPal a message stating I was not going to provide a tracking number and someone from PayPal may want to call me about this. Long story short , I called them, went through how things went down between the seller and myself and was told that PayPal does not Vet (investigate) the seller that any scam artist can set up shop (not quite the language) there you have it this seller probably just made $349,700.00 for what likely cost the a quarter of that amount after looking at the items they sent instead of what was ordered., clear profit $262,275.00.  Thinking I may need to move to china and start up a business…. Don’t know what do you think.  Additionally, I made another purchase 3 or 4 days later, ☹ oH oH the same seller, when that item arrived, BINGO same thing not what was ordered, same run around, send item back, tracking number, by a certain date. Another call to the poor person at PayPal who patiently listening to me harp away, and try as they may cannot really do anything other than tag the issue and bring it to the attention of his/her superior. All to which I as the buyer will never be informed of what happens to the seller when things like this go on. BEWARE FRIENDS DON’T BUY FROM CHINA would be my suggestion.

As for PayPal, I fully understand that they have done all they can to return things to square one for me, I still feel the company has a lot to offer for sellers and buyers alike. I agree there is really nothing they can do about dishonest seller’s wishing to bait and switch items I hopes that buyer will not spend more good money to recoup bad. I do feel that PayPal could be more open with the PayPal community as a whole and publish what happens to wayward sellers that obviously don’t give a hoot about ethics. So buyers like myself can check to see if a seller is legit or not before a purchase is made… Open to your thoughts.

[JeffroKY]

Here is another to stay far away from... Nationwide public network interphone adopts MA800MHZ military transmission channel. You may find these on Facebook and other websites promising unrealistic performance. If you order a set, everything about the transaction will reference 800MHZ radios and the pictures indicate a recently popular low priced radio manufacturer. The manufacturer has said they do not make an 800MHZ radio as of this date. What you will receive is a pair of 400MHZ radios (BF-888S). You MAY be offered a full refund if you return them to an obfuscated address in PRC, the cost of which will be 2X - 3X more than the full refund. USA shippers may advise against shipping due to unlikely chance of delivery. Added to this... there is no such legal 800MHZ radio service in the US, but no worries... BF888S isn't going to get you there anyway. PayPal will support these sellers in requiring the uber expensive return. Bait and Switch goes a long way back in China... Just stay far away from this.

[DamianDuxbury]

Same thing has just happened to me.

Ordered reclining chairs - got a cheap ring.

Paypal - going through the motions - send it back and seller will refund etc.. 

I thought the Paypal brand actually carried some weight - but it clearly doesn't. I won't be fooled with that again in the future.

Paypal won't be getting any further business out of me - but I'm quite sure they won't give a damn about it when they are getting lots of income from these scam companies

[MsMac56]

I heard that everything on PayPal is computer run, and no regular access to a human.  I'm just so sorry this continues to happen.  It's a well established scam that PayPal supports.  China's new practice is sending invasive plant seeds to every address in America.  (Don't plant or dispose of them in the garbage. Send to your country extensive office or pulverize the seeds to powder before trashing.)  

So sorry...  

[Blondenblue]

I sent my package back per Paypal and then Paypal wanted a picture of the package I had already sent.  Postage refund refused because no picture of the package already on its way to china.  When the package arrived in china someone refused delivery and it is back to me now.  I can take a picture now for paypal but my case is closed and they will not reopen it.  I have posted my experience on Facebook and I warn everyone I come in contact.  I also report any ad on Facebook that I believe is a scam.  I will not ever purchase anything using Paypal or Facebook again.  Both companies are so duplicitous in ripping people off with little care for the consumer.  

[66stryker66]

I am avoiding use of paypal payment 100% now for Orders. I lost only $38 for order below.
this is a bait and switch company in china. They sent me a totally different item worth less than a dollar. Here are the links of what my receipt indicates: What I ordered: <removed>

NEVER AGAIN ORDER FROM ANY PRODUCT IN FACEBOOK OTHER THAN LEGIT COMPANY IN THE USA. BELOW IS THE COM...

Seller information

ASER.CO

 demurturea from gmail account not valid so you cant email seller

Return shipping address

<removed> WangniudunGuangdong 523208China

[Hoots711]

add me to the list.  Facebook add for $75 100"x70" water pad that supports 3-6 people.  2.5 lb small piece of foam that wont support my cat was received.

Everything photoed and documented to paypal.  They say i need to return the item to china to receive my refund.  Cheapest quote to return is ~$97.

The only thing more infuriating than this scam is that i now know paypal has known about it for 9+ months and continue to enable it (apparently).

My case will auto-close in 4 days if i dont upload a return shipping tracking number and it is currently impossible to speak to a human about this.

So i guess its just my loss?  Great company.

[Blondenblue]

We all used paypal for the consumer protection and have learned the hard way that they do not protect us at all.  I filed complaints.  But unless we share our experiences publicly with our friends; on facebook; on instagram; and on twitter.  The China company will continue to sell and paypal will continue to make money at our expense while offering no protection whatsoever.  Share your experience at every opportunity and always use a card with a visa or mastercard logo for purchases - they will allow you to dispute the purchase completely and You have a much better chance of getting your money back.  If a company does not accept major credit cards - Only Paypal, it is a very clear sign of a scam.  Run Away

[MsMac56]

I think we also need to bombard Facebook and other social media that allow these scam companies to place ads to entice victims.  Spreading the word and demanding SM check out their advertisers is a must.

[CCC62]

I replied to this problem today (11/30) with the solution that worked for me. I will post my warning and solution on FB and hope it helps people that were scammed and paid via Paypal. Most people that are scammed are out smaller amounts of money ($50 or less) and returning the crap they received costs more than what they have already lost, so they just let it go, lesson learned, and move on. The scammers love this because they make a ton of money counting on this. For me, it cost more than $50 so I was going to send the crap back. The trick was in the Customs Form, which is required by China or they won't let the item in the country. They require a legitimate first and last name on the form, not just a company name. These scammers won't be giving you any legitimate name, are probably already flagged by Paypal (what they told me), and so Paypal had to refund my money.

[Pargirl]

Perhaps one way they get around this is to have a partner in the U.S. My package was shipped from Co. The delivery took over 6 weeks. I had contacted them. Initially they sent a useless tracking number. When I wrote back , I was given another tracking number and I receive an item which indicated a Bait and Switch scam.