Numerous identical scam stores on Facebook only accepting PayPal

[CrackerMan]

I have been seeing a slew of nearly identical ads for the same item by number of different Facebook stores, BraveSeaHills and a dozen others, and they only accept PayPal. Their websites are obviously fake, all of them copy and pasted garbage, and I just thought I would try to let somebody at PayPal know about it before they start getting a bunch of requests for refunds after being dicked around for a month and not getting the product they ordered.

[JoeGanci]

In a moment of weakness, I fell for one of these scams. $50 for a monitor that you can attach to the back of your laptop that you can pull out when needed to extend your desktop. I should have known better. Sure enough, after a few weeks, I got a piece of crap wifi video receiver, a cheap knockoff of Google Chromecast. This is definitely not what was supposedly being sold. I contacted the seller who ignored me. A couple of weeks after that, I asked for a dispute resolution. After PayPal contacted the seller, I was told I'd have to send back TO CHINA the piece of crap they had sent me to get a refund. I received an email with an address in China to which to send the item.

I called PayPal and said I had spent $50 for the product and now I would need to spend more to ship it back with no guarantee that they would accept it. They were nice enough then to say they would reimburse me up to $30 for the shipping. I tried to follow the directions at Parcel Monkey, the link that they gave me, and it was both confusing and aggravating. I called back today and asked if I couldn't just take it to the UPS store near here to ship it. Yes, I was told, and to get the tracking number.

So off to the UPS store I went.

First, they said they couldn't ship it without the recipient's phone number, something I had brought up before because Parcel Monkey also required it, but was told the seller hadn't provided it and it would not be needed.

Second, the UPS store told me that the minimum cost to send back this light package was $126! OK, I know that UPS charges a lot but I doubt that USPS would charge less than $30. I'm in the United States, by the way.

It seems the seller figured out all the angles. Dangle a great product at a low price, then make it nearly impossible to return the product without spending a ton more. I chose to go with PayPal, a service I've been using for years, because I knew they would back me, but I didn't know that the process would be so painful and frustrating. 

Losing $50 is not going to bankrupt me but I was pursuing this for the principle of the matter. I know many others must have fallen for this because the comments on those Facebook ads showed people were practically drooling to send their money. However, I now give up. They win. And I'll never order a product from a Facebook ad when the business isn't proven and already established for some time. I'll also warn others when I can. 

[aweandwonder]

I was duped by a seller selling a large cat climbing frame.  A month after purchase, a small parcel arrived with the correct tracking number on it but it contained a cheap necklace clock.  Because the tracking number was the same, Paypal declared that the seller had proof of delivery.  Paypal would not listen when I explained that the item was entirely not the correct item.  My claim was denied.  It has since been reopened but Paypal have requested that I return the necklace to the seller (at my cost) to obtain a full refund.  The cost of returning it is about half the amount that will be refunded.  This is absolutely ridiculous.  I know there are others who have been in this same situation.  I've seen them on Facebook.  The sellers are fraudulent and have found loopholes to get away with it.

[saverd]

I have also had this happen to me. I’m very disappointed and very angry with PayPal. I was leery of ordering from China but I trusted with PayPal it would be safer and I would be protected. I ordered a cactus shaped cat climbing tree. They sent me a very cheap and ugly owl necklace. I opened a dispute and even called PayPal and spoke to a live human. They are telling me I have to send this stupid necklace back at my expense with tracking information and IF he gets it back I might get some money back ?????? I told them there are literally hundreds of people on FB posting pics and comments about the same exact scam. This is clearly a fraudulent seller with multiple store names and sites. But PayPal doesn’t care. I guess I learned. Don’t trust Pay Pal. 😐😡😖

[aweandwonder]

There was a time I could rely on PayPal to back me up. Not this time. My fault for being scammed I guess. Don’t trust that PayPal will look after you even when you have all the proof of seller’s wrong doing. But also don’t trust to buy off Facebook again either I reckon.

[Shelliott]

I received the silly owl necklace instead of the cat tree. PayPal denied my claim, too. Disappointed that PayPal supports the illegal practice of bait and switch.

[metalhertzbrian]

I have also fallen for this scam.  PayPal will not do anything about it....no refunds no nothing

[Hailstar]

I was caught out by this as well, first time ever. Making me have second thoughts about using PayPal in future, as my refund was denied as well, so it defeats the purpose of using PayPal.

[GermaX]

Instead of gaming console that was advertised there is only two joysticks bolted on. It does not even have 6 buttons required to play Street fighter but 4 on each side. Incorrect graphics.

Paypal is asking me to ship to China and have it delivered in 8 days with tracking.

That will probably cost more than the 99USD that was the price of item.

I will go to Visa next and ask for refund if Paypal does not sort it out.

[SNTrading]

Do not order from Braveseahills. Unethical, false advertising.

My product hasn't even been shipped yet and I had asked for a refund multiple times. The refund requests has not been actioned. Scammer.

Raised a dispute on the Paypal resolution centre and I'm still waiting a response from the seller.