Chinese scammers found a way to fool Paypal Users

[FrankJG]

I found this in the hardway. 

Chinese scammers have found a way to use Paypal to rob users. This is how they do it.

They open a ecommerce site in a free service called ECWID. This site will use Paypal in their stores. Then they sell in that site a lot of very expensive products at a very low price, examples:

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Then they open a new Facebook business account which give you $10 to promote your business. Then they start promoting these deals, saying that they are based in New York and they have run into some issues with their Stock and they need to sell their merchandise. Usually they have another account that post in that same post at Facebook comments saying that this is for real and that he bought an item from the promoted store and they go it. 

So, because the price is always around $100 you decide to take the risk and buy the product paying using paypal thinking that you are protected. After a while you see that nothing is shipped, you start sending emails that are not responded, at one point you send an email to the email that received your payment in paypal saying that you will open a dispute because the item is not shipped. Right there the status in the site changes from Processing to Shipped without a Tracking number. Of course you will ask about it and they either do not respond or give you a bunch of excuses the idea is to waste your time and get you out of the 30 days period to open the dispute. If you open a dispute you will of course mention that you have not received the item and that you never received a tracking number and here is where things get interesting. They ship you a little $1 dollar item to obtain in this way a tracking number to give Paypal. Paypal sees the tracking number which is valid and closes the case. 

Here is an article describing the service that this Chinese scammers use to send you those cheap items and a picture that I took of the one sent to me. <removed>

https://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshepard/2019/10/25/americans-are-still-receiving-unordered-packages...

To ship the article they use a chinese company <removed> LIMITED with offices in Chino, California. 

Here is an email sent to the scammer where I point that there is not any tracking number

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Paypal has removed a way to appeal cases and this is one of the reasons why I have decided to come public denouncing this case. 

[Lastresort2]

Yep, just happened to me.  $100 ripped off.  The site I bought on had no mention of BFE then I get notice the item shipped from BFE Chino, CA shipped with tracking #.  Immediately suspicious because how can a 20 pound toilet ship usps for $5.  Got a little green whistle.  Hope I can convince my credit card company I was ripped off and refund me.

[Deb_Kelly]

They got me too! On facebook kept getting these ads for Kitchenaid Mixers. Just couldn't believe the price. Kept checking and finally took the bait. I received a tiny little package from BFE Chinco, CA. The outside said "gift". Inside was a small plastic whistle!!! The same day I got a text from Paypal asking if I had received the package (it also referenced what I paid). Because I was skeptical and the price certainly didn't match the whistle, I said "no". There was no place to explain that it was not the item ordered. It really bugged me. I didn't hear back right away, so I thought it best to contact my credit card company which is what Paypal used. I then got an e-mail saying Paypal could not respond to my dispute since I had contacted my credit card company. Interesting. I wish Facebook would have a way to check the companies that they accept ad money from to protect their users. I knew the deal was too good to be true, just like the old saying "if it sounds to good to be true-it is!" There are many good and legitimate companies on fb, but this isn't one of them. It's also interesting to see the original meaning of BFE... So buyer beware, check out the supplier first and maybe their name, because had I not been suspicious I would have been f....'d just like the origin.

[mistysmith11]

I called my bank today and asked if there was anything I could do to get my money back because PayPal wasn't doing anything.  The guy helped me file a complaint with the Bank and told me to check back on Wednesday to see if I can get my money.  I hope I can but I've prepared myself that I also got **bleep** by the **bleep*!!!   Oh! I got a small car in my package when it was supposed to be 3 pairs of shoes.

[toney3]

Me too. Paypal offers no protection to customers. It appears to be a clearing house for money in and money out, nothing more. The same thing happened too me from this chinese company, I may lose $99.00 dollars...... You cannot contact Paypal because the telephone call you make will shift you from directory to directory to no avail. Then you will get an email that paypal has taken the side of the offending fraudulent company. I am seriously considering closing my account and deal with purchases directly with credit card companies. You get better help from even ebay, if its an ebay purchase....shame on Paypal....they do nothing more then move money nothing, nothing else......the truth !!

[Lolo56]

What kind of liability does PayPal have here since they are profiting from transaction fees associated with this scam? Sounds like the makings for a class action lawsuit..

[mistysmith11]

They got me on Thanksgiving like this.  They advertised a "Black Friday Sale" like they were a shoe company with a BIG sale.  The shoes sale regularly at $130 per pair but they were on sale for $39 per pair with a limit of 4 pairs.  I bought 3 pairs for a total of $117.  I wanted to be "Safe" so I paid the transaction through PayPal.  When the transaction was paid it immediately gave me a receipt for payment of $99.85 and had Chinese writing as the business.  I immediately started trying to cancel the transaction and PayPal would not cancel it because it showed as "Complete".  On December 4th I got a tracking # and thought "Oh! Maybe they weren't able to send all 3 pair and maybe this was for 2 pair with shipping and tax or something???"  Well, I got notification today that the package was in our mailbox at my office.  I was a little confused because the mailbox is not big enough for 1 pair of shoes much less 2.  When I got the mail it was a small 2 1/2 x 4 mailer package with a plastic toy car in it.  PayPal will not let me dispute this transaction now due to it "Not being what I ordered" because I previously tried to dispute the transaction when I say the Chinese writing and the amount did not match.  I am sooooo upset with PayPal.  I will never use them again, nor will I recommend them nor any of their other products to anyone.  They are just as bad as the scammers and they should be ashamed of themselves!!!

[iongraphix12]

I just got two tiny little crystals instead of a pair of boots! PayPal is about to hear from me!

[01bad_ssz28]

I was able to appeal and PayPal was quick and they refunded my money. I had a feeling from to beginning that this could be bogus. But I thought it’s using PayPal it should be ok. After a week I sent an email through PayPal to the scammer asking where is my tracking info and that’s when they shipped the $1 headphone case with tracking. As soon as I received the package I appealed with photos of the incorrect item and PayPal refunded my money. I was aware of the 30 day window and made sure I appealed in that timeframe.

[toney3]

When I contacted Paypal they said I received a delivery, therefore they closed my case. I ordered a shed and paid 99 dollars, they sent a toy plastic whistle. What is insulting is how quick Paypal closed the case and they would not answer me on this matter. I had then contacted my credit card company and after weeks, yes weeks of faxing pictures of the toy whistle and emails, they actually were able to refunf me.

Paypal is just a money exchange they take money and pay it out, thats all. Your best bet, stop using Paypal and only use your credit card company for ther best results..... 

[Evocatas]

If it makes you feel any better, I got 10 compressed towelettes instead of 10 PCB brackets.  I mean, the item was only $5, but to get towelettes...  ya know... for all my tears.  I thought it was pretty ****ing insulting.