Help with scam

[Temp20201122e]

Basically I am 99% sure I have been scammed and only realised after the payment has gone out. Currently it says 'Pending' and 'Authorisation' and 'This is a temporary authorisation to make sure your funding source will cover the payment. Your funding source will be charged when [the seller] completes your order.' I understand I'm meant to open a dispute if I suspect a fraudulent seller, but when I do it just says 'Unable to complete your request. We're sorry, you can't file a case on this type of transaction'. I've emailed Paypal but want to know if there's anything more I can do. 

[kernowlass]

@Temp20201122e 

Can you say why its a SCAM, have you bought from one of these china websites or social media ads???

Only.....

When you pay a company (rather than an ebay seller or individual), then it is often pending until that company processes your order and captures the pending payment.

If they don't process that order and capture the pending payment then the pending status times out at 30 days post-payment.

[Temp20201122e]

Hey, thanks very much for the reply. Everything seems to point to it being a scam really; the website seemed a bit too good to be true, offering hundreds of very rare items for waaaay cheaper prices than I'd seen anywhere else. I was kind of suspicious for several reasons initially because the website had appeared out of nowhere, seemed to have been created in 2020, and Googling its name produced absolutely no results other than the site itself. Even the name of it, Asteyau, didn't appear anywhere else on the internet (except, I later found, there's a Sanskrit term 'asteya' meaning 'do not steal' which, if it isn't a coincidence, is actually pretty funny). I also thought I hadn't received any confirmation emails or anything until I later checked my Spam folder, and Gmail alerted me that it suspected phishing. I then Googled the given Gmail address 'mateo19911005' and quite a few posts about scammers using that email came up. I then also found that (other than this phony email) there was no way to contact anyone involved with the website, no way to delete my account, and no way to verify that any of it was legitimate at all. And yeah, on PayPal the seller is clearly Chinese, but the website itself used Canadian, Australian, US and UK currency, with no hint of anything China-related. 

It was my fault, I suppose, but it sucks that now PayPal isn't even letting me bring this to their attention. I tried using the 'Message Us' system and I have precisely heard nothing back, and there seems to be basically no other way for me to even begin the process of trying to get my money back. 

[kernowlass]

@Temp20201122e 

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............thats because 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 nearly always 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. No company address information.
4. Great looking items at bargain prices that turn out to be tat.

However if the payment is pending still then you have not paid, it may drop off at 30 days, if it completes then come back for more advice. 

[gasguirre]

Hey, I think I been scammed by the same person, I bought in the website, too good to be true, I paid with credit card though, the payment is still on hold.

I have the same email that came to spam folder and no reply. I'll try to contact my credit card company and have it cancelled.

I don't know if I should change the card as the numbers might be compromised.

[Temp20201122e]

Unlucky! If it helps, my order has now been updated to say it's been shipped, and the tracking number provided for China Post appears to be legit... so I guess I'll just wait and see what happens with this. Still fairly certain it's a scam; they could have sent me anything, if they've actually even sent anything at all. PayPal finally responded to me via Messaging too, so I'm hoping if it does end up being a scam I'll still be able to claim some money. I'd recommend telling PayPal ASAP. 

[gasguirre]

yeah, in my case the website was https://www.kawabiis.com/

my status is "pending" after "payment successful"

his email pops up as scam everywhere

[beneweber84]

Hello,

I came here by  googling  the email  address  <removed>.  I also found one of "too good to be true " webshops for motorbike parts,  way cheaper than anywhere else.  I got  curious because there is only this one email address to contact the website and no3names, addresses etc.

I would like to know If any of you who have ordered from shops belonging to that email address did recieve their items?

Or is it really scam?

The webshop I am talking about is <removed> Everything in French,  but strangely some top lines in German.

Thank you for your reply!

[Temp20201122e]

Hey, I am waiting till the end of the month to see if the items arrive. I'm assuming they won't, but PayPal have said I can open a dispute with the seller if they don't. I'll post here whatever the outcome is!

[cm2385]

I too ordered off what I believed to be a real site, though different from yours.  I ordered back in mid October and promptly received my confirmation email of my order from [removed].  Did not receive any tracking information, so I tried to contact them.  There was not any contact information on the site, only  the email address I had received something from initially.  I emailed them three times for information to no avail.   The merchant details on paypal are [removed].  I contacted paypal last week to try to rectify the situation and am waiting to hear if I will get my money refunded by next week.  They said they are going to try to contact the vendor and if they do not receive anything from them that I will get my money refunded.  Keeping my fingers crossed.