China “sending wrong item” scam

[Starsky72]

So....

1) item advertised on Facebook

2) You buy two of them, pay via PayPal $29.90

3) Item arrives, nothing like as described and is damaged

4) Seller offers small percentage as refund, I refuse.

5) Escalate the complaint in Paypal

5) PayPal state I need to send back, tracked, and the seller has to confirm delivery before a refund will be issued, before 4 January

6) Tracked postage costs more than I’d get in a refund

7) Seller wins..

I end up out of pocket with a broken item that is different in every way (size, materials, quality) from what I ordere, plus I ordered two and didn’t receive them

Paypal are allowing this scam to happen.  I should have lied and simply said I never eeceived it

[boler4]

PayPal has resolved my case and ruled in my favor. China has this scam going where they send the wrong item and use the tracking number to say the package was received. Take a photo of what you receive and a photo of what you ordered.

[JSG40]

Has happened to me when tems sent was nothing like what was ordered but PayPal found in sellers favour as a tracking number showed they were delivered even though they were nothing like what was ordered 

[Lkbrooks]

I have the same problem ordered what I thought was an all seeing and all dancing realistic husky for my daughter. I'd originally been offered a very low percentage from the seller. They admitted to the mistake. Then through Resolution Centre I was eventually offered the full refund but I have to pay for the cost of returning the item. I shall be out of pocket, if will cost much more to return. But there's nowhere in the dispute to upload any other information except the tracking number. Why isn't there the option to put more info?

[dulia271]

I placed an order last June 6. I paid for a spinning bike. After months I got an envelope with the same tracking number that they told. I got a RING. I opened a dispute, I provide the picture of the envelope. The seller kept sending emails offering a discount, in each letter I replied that I paid for a bike, not for a ring. They replied that I got the order, I told them that I got an envelope but not what I ordered. At last, PayPal closed my case because they confirmed that I got my order. So the Seller and PayPal didn't get it 😕  I sent the picture of the small envelope showing the ring and tracking number, but I guess they just didn't care. What can I do? Help! Thank you

[Temp20201130b]

Same problem. Yet PayPal ignores it, even though they have had thousands of complaints about this scam. 

[ginginjuneau]

This is happening to me right now and I feel completely ripped off. I know I will never order from any of these sites ever again. I almost don't want to use PayPal anymore if they can not do anything about it. 

[dulia271]

After PayPal closed my case, they didn't even reply the multiple text that I wrote :(.  I sent them even pictures proving that the seller send me the wrong item, and PayPal didn't even consider them. They only confirmed that I got my order, it didn't matters if were "stones",  got "an order" so was enough for them 😕

[Tomred0_3]

Having been stung twice by adverts on Facebook and receiving unrequested items in the post, with no paperwork or originating address, I jumped through all of the PayPal hoops only to be informed that I had received the items and that a refund MAY be discussed if I returned the items at my own cost to the merchant, whose address I did not know! To cut to the chase, I spent some time trying to speak with a human in PayPal and eventually succeeded in getting through to a very understanding and mannerly lady who overruled the previous decisions and awarded me a refund. The "merchant/scammer" continues to message me looking for a 5 star recommendation. My advice is to follow through to the bitter end and avoid any and all adverts on Facebook.

[DF35]

I had a very similar situation. The product I received was no where near what was advertised and it was only resolved satisfactorily after speaking to a real person. The thing is; I would never ordered the product had I know it was coming from China. The advertisements don’t offer any indication that it originates from China. My suggestion to PayPal was to add another layer during checkout to warn the buyer that the seller is a China based vendor, that would give the buyer the opportunity to decide not to complete the purchase.

[Tomred0_3]

Also a good idea to check out their background and website. Most have really way out names and a recent website set up. Facebook primarily to blame for letting these shysters advertise on their site. Though PayPal must be able to build up a record fairly quickly from complaints, why not give a warning note before letting you proceed with the purchase. Funny how most of these scams originate in China, where they seem to get away with it