sent money to comiclake. was it a scam?

[macs54]

I recently purchased some tools from a company called Comiclake. They say they are in Illinois, but their phone number is in Ohio. They wont answer their phone and it was such a good deal that I am starting to think it was all a scam. I paid with paypal for the buyer protection. Has anybody purchased from Comiclake and actually received their items? 

Thanks.

Mac.

[l8nighter]

I ordered the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable Synthesizer with Travel Case and USB cable from  4/30/20 for $69.95 and the device was listed as used.  I found their website by performing a Google Search for the OP-1 and the Seerplise site was listed as the 1st shopping result on Google Shopping so I placed my order. 

Because of COVID-19 the package didn’t make it to my house until 7/11/20 because it was stuck in Shanghai customs for a long time.  When I received the package I knew something was wrong because the customs declaration on the outside of the package said the description of contents was a shirt and the value was $40 and the weight was 0.330 Kg.  I took pictures before opening the package and once I opened it there were two KN95 masks inside. 

Here is a complete email history of my conversations back and forth between them.  I am posting this so that others can see how this company responds how they will attempt to delay and what their canned messages are. 

To:  on 7/11/20 with pictures of the package attached

Hello

I just received the package today and something has gone terribly wrong on your end.  I ordered the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable Synthesizer with Travel Case and USB cable but instead I received two KN95 masks instead.  The outside of the package label said the shipment was for a shirt so I knew something was wrong before I opened the package so I took pictures before and after opening the package.  Can you please ship me the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable Synthesizer with Travel Case and USB cable otherwise please proceed with refunding my paypal payment.  I have included pictures of my original receipt along with pictures of what actually came in the package below.  Thank You

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Dear Customer

I'm very sorry hear about that do you mean you received wrong item?

Can you take picture of the wrong items you received for checking?

Thank you

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Hello

I already provided the pictures and here they are again below.  I ordered the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable Synthesizer with Travel Case and USB cable but instead I received two KN95 masks instead.  The outside of the package label said the shipment was for a shirt so I knew something was wrong before I opened the package so I took pictures before and after opening the package.  Can you please proceed with refunding my full paypal payment $69.95.  Thank You

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Hi

I'm very sorry for the inconvenience I have checked the logistics accidentally sent the wrong product.

How about we re-send the initial item to you?You don't need to pay any other fee.

Look forward to your early reply.

Thank you

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Can you please proceed with refunding my full paypal payment $69.95.  Thank You!

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Normally the order will be re-shipped within two to three working days

We'll send the correct item to you this time pls don't worry

 the re-shipping fee is free and you can keep the items as compensation

as our goos are in high quality and inexpensive

they are worth a try

Pls consider again

Thank you

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I have lost trust in your company can you please proceed with refunding my full paypal payment of $69.95.  Thank You 

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Hi

Thank you for your quick reply return the item will takes a very long time .

After we receive it then we can arrange refund and it also costs money and make trouble.

How about we refund 60% to you for a part of product cost & shiping fee

The items you keep it for compensation and do not return it.

Thank you.

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Hello

I hoped it would not come to this but you are just repeating the same story that you have told other customers you have defrauded.  It appears your company is involved in fraud and are lying to customs in what is in the package and sending people masks and then asking if they would accept 60% of the original cost according (this forum article link)

Please refund my entire $69.95 to my paypal account in the next two days otherwise I will have no choice but to open a PayPal dispute to get my money back and to put a stop to this fraud your company is involved in.  I have the documentation that shows your company paid for advertisements on Google which is how I found your listing your company then lied to customs and said you were shipping a shirt when in fact it was two masks and then I waited for over 2 months for the item only to discover that it was fraud.  I hope that your company does the right thing and refunds my money before I have to take further action. 

Thank You

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Hello we can refund 90% to you and you needn't return them back pls check is it ok.

If ok we will submit the request of this refund right now.

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NO 90% is NOT OK.  Please refund 100% today and stop wasting both of our time.

Thank You

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Okay

We'll refund you

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Thank You for doing the right thing I appreciate it.

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It's our pleasure.

If you have any question feel free to contact us

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Hello

Just checking to see when I will be refunded the money to my paypal account as it has been 5 days already?

Thank You

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Hi

I'm sorry the company is in the selling season.There are many people who need to process refunds

So it's going to take some timewe will do our best to make it fast

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Please escalate my full refund before 7/31 as it only takes 2 minutes to send the money back via Paypal. 

Thank You

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Hello

It is now the 31st and it has been two weeks since 7/17/20 on which you said you would refund my money which has been more than enough time.  If I do not hear from you by 8/2/20 I will be opening a Paypay fraud investigation to get my full money back.  Also because you have admitted to fraud and knowing committed fraud because you are refunding my entire money I will be asking Paypal to terminate your companies Paypal account so that you cannot commit fraud on other people.

Thank You

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Hi

we'll refund all to you

Can you close the PayPal dispute?

The capital freeze due to your complaint only after you cancel the complaint can we  operate the refund.

Thank you

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I don't think you are understanding me correctly... I don't have a current complaint open so this means you are lying as you haven't even tried to operate the refund otherwise you would have known this information.  I don't have a current PayPal dispute open but if my money is not refunded in full by 8/2/20 I will be opening a dispute as you have already had 2 weeks to refund my money.  Please refund my money at once please.

Thank You

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It is now 8/2/20 and I still have not received my refund so I am going to have to proceed with starting the Paypal dispute process.  Before I do this I would like to speak with the owner of your company first so they realize once I start the dispute my goal will be to have Paypal refund my money and to also terminate your Paypal accounts so you cannot scam anymore people going forward.  Please let me know your decision before 8/5/20 how your company wants to proceed.

Thank You

--------------------------------

Hi

We will refund you within 10-15 days

Thank you

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10 - 15 days days is not acceptable as it only takes 5 minutes for your company to login to Paypal and send the refund and you promised me my refund back on 7/17/20.  I believe you are trying to stall for time as you know I only have 180 days to open a paypal dispute and since I placed the order on May 5th that means I only have until Sept 5th to open the dispute.  If you take another 15 days that is 8/17/20 and then you will try and delay it another 10-15 days and it will be near 9/5/20.

Please issue the refund by 8/7/20 which is more than enough time or on 8/5/20 I am opening the Paypal dispute.

Thank You

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Hi

I'm sorry the company is in the selling season.There are many people who need to process refunds

So it's going to take some time we will do our best to make it fast

Thank you for your patience

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That is the exact word for word statement you made on Fri Jul 24 9:27 PM.  It appears you are just copying and pasting the same statements in order to delay the refund.  Please issue the refund by 8/5/20 which is more than enough time or on 8/5/20 I am opening the Paypal dispute.

Thank You

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we will do our best to make it fast

Thank you for your patience

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It is now 8/5/20 and you still have not refunded my money therefore I have opened the Paypal dispute.

[BAP1007]

It is unfortunate that you trusted these thieves as long as you did but it is our nature that others are innocent until proven guilty. The seller continuing to up the ante on their offer of a partial refund from 60% to 90% is a novel approach. I received my refund from PayPal about 2 months after filing my dispute but PayPal had their share of excuses as to why it took that long. PayPal seems to be fully aware of the criminal activities going on right under their collective noses but does nothing about it. It almost smacks of collusion between the crooks and PayPal. 

I sincerely hope everyone with a claim is eventually reimbursed and there is closure to this debacle. 

Good luck.

[l8nighter]

Update:  I opened my Paypal dispute on August 5, 2020 and on August 13, 2020 Paypal fully refunded all of my money stating "The case was closed in your favor."  I believe having all of the detailed email history that I provided to Paypal helped because they did not ask me a single question so it was obvious.  

[BAP1007]

This scam has been going on for at least 6 months. Perhaps PayPal is wising up to how much loss they will have to absorb. 

Congratulations on your quick resolution.