Seller promoted an expensive telescope (at a cheap price) then sent a piece of junk instead.

Robot_Lord
Contributor
Contributor

About 3 weeks ago I saw a Facebook ad for a really nice entry-level telescope:

https://www.squarecube.shop/collections/hot-sale/products/2018-upgraded-600x90mm-az-astronomical-ref...

 

I bought it then immediately began to fear that it was a scam.

The item arrived and here is a comparison between what I bought and what I received:

 

t1.pngIMG_20180703_155913.jpg

 

Unfortunately, PayPal is siding with the seller and saying that I have to return the item before I can get refunded. I've tried to upload supporting information, but PayPal seems to have hopeless mechanisms for sending anything to them. (The don't accept attachments and all the instructions they give do not actually work).

Now the cost to return will exceed the cost I will be refunded (although it seems PayPal will cover some of the return cost).

I'm also fearful that if a company will blatantly commit a fraud like this, then what's the likelihood that they will even refund?

Now I don't really know what I should do?

Has anyone else been in this situation?

Login to Me Too
12 REPLIES 12

kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@Robot_Lord

 

Your best bet is to read up on paypal buyer protection before you start buying so you know what is and what is not offered.
In the event of a dispute you nearly always have to return the item back to the seller so you bear in mind possible return trackable costs before you buy from that seller / item / country.

Paypal state this >>
PayPal is not obliged to reimburse you for any costs that you incur to comply with any of PayPal’s requests for cooperation for the purpose of resolving the problem (including, without limitation, costs that you incur to return a SNAD item to the Payment Recipient or another party as PayPal requests), although sometimes it may reimburse these costs.

Although they will compensate you for some of the cost if you have activated this at some point before you made that transaction .....
https://www.paypal.com/us/selfhelp/article/what-is-return-shipping-on-us-and-how-do-i-activate-it-fa...

You also have the option to do a chargeback via your card issuer instead of a Paypal dispute if you funded your Paypal payment via a credit card.




Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
Login to Me Too

catalincc
Contributor
Contributor

This seller is already in a Scam Database, also for other products than the telescope in question.

Have a look here: https://www.signal-arnaques.com/en/scam/view/117653

 

Login to Me Too

RaizenX
Contributor
Contributor
It's the same thing on me I sell an old binoculars with real photos and the buyer was buying the item as he seen and now I must return his money because PayPal sided with him and now the item is broken and I can't sell it anymore
Login to Me Too

jorija
Contributor
Contributor

Me too! Exact same scenario. I know of a few people in the USA who have had their payment refunded WITHOUT them having to return the "toy telescope" which the seller values at all of US $5. Yet according to the nice PayPal lady I spoke to today, I am going to have to return it before anything happens. So I will have to go through the hassle of shelling out about US$21 to return this scope before I see my refund. I have VERY LITTLE confidence that the scammer will actually accept the scope for refund or even notify PayPal that it has arrived. This is because they sent me an email (within PayPal) where they were very specific about the condition of the returned item and even the 2 freighting companies which I could use, saying they would only accept DHL or UPS (I can't use either, as they don't have branches in my city). It definitely sounds like they are giving themselves "wriggle room" to reject my returned item. I know PayPal have offered to refund my return costs, and for that I am very grateful, but I think the cheapest and best way out for all except the scammer would be just to have issued me with a partial refund (which I was offered) and I would have been quite happy to have paid the $5 value of the scope and accepted US$54.99 refund. Less hassles, PayPal doesn't have to pay out a return post cost claim, and the scammer does not get his scope back to use in another scam. It's about time this vendor was stopped!

Login to Me Too

catalincc
Contributor
Contributor

This cheater acts on Shopify. So I contacted Shopify to inform that they have such a seller on their platform, but their kind of "support" is useless.

Here below is the answer from Shopify:

"Thank you for contacting Shopify support! My name is Desiree and I'm a Guru here at Shopify.

I'm sorry that you're having trouble with an order you purchased from a merchant who may be using Shopify.
Us Gurus are technical support for merchants who use Shopify to run their online business, but we aren't able to act on behalf of any merchant for their customers, or even verify if a business uses our platform.

On your end, normally the first thing I recommend is trying to contact the merchant. You can usually reach out to them ether via a contact link on their site or by hitting reply to the order confirmation email you should have gotten right after placing the order.

If you have attempted to reach out to the store already - You can contact your credit card company. Each financial institution has a process in place designed to investigate and help recover your money if the merchant is not holding up their end of the sales contract. All item purchased online via credit card or debit credit have this protection. If you purchased it via Paypal you can reach out to them also!"

 

So, maybe eventually Shopify will help this cheater to grow his business more...

Horrible !

 

Login to Me Too

__Tom__
Contributor
Contributor

Shop is down now - after 84 days 🙂 https://www.scamadviser.com/check-website/squarecube.shop

Now relying on Paypal's customer service...

Login to Me Too

LFJM
Contributor
Contributor

I had exactly the same experience but spent a further £17 to return the item.  My thoughts were that at least I would get the $59.99 back.  However PayPal have now said that the tracking information was inadequate and the case is closed.   The SquareCube shop has now gone but that doesn't get me my money back.  I have also reported it to the Police Fraud website but like all of us on here, the damage is done with no sight of a refund.

Login to Me Too

kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@LFJM

 

You have the option to do a chargeback via your card issuer if you funded your Paypal payment via a credit card?



Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
Login to Me Too

jorija
Contributor
Contributor

This is exactly what has happened for me, too. "Tracking information is invalid" according to PayPal, case closed in Seller's favor.

I had sent my scope back using Australia Post, our national carrier, and I am absolutely sure they do not have "invalid tracking information" so I phoned 

PayPal on the 1800 number yesterday about this, and the operator had a look at the tracking history of the package on the AusPost website, which clearly shows that the scope went from Australia to China, was unable to be delivered and has now arrived back in Australia.  Her answer was that I should appeal the outcome of my dispute, because it was not my fault that the sender was not prepared to accept back the item. She asked me to photograph the mailing labels and markings on the package when it returns to me, then call PayPal again to upload this to form the basis of an appeal. Hope my answer will help you. 

Login to Me Too

Haven't Found your Answer?

It happens. Hit the "Login to Ask the community" button to create a question for the PayPal community.