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Stay away FROM www.specialphones.eu
It may look like a good deal but you will regret it later!!! READ ON...
On the 30th of December I came across as site completely by accident. I was looking for a iPhone and my intelligent googlemail suggested I check out specialphones.eu.
I went to the site and was impressed, the phones were cheap and its seemed to be well managed site, better than some of the others that I visited in the past. What swung it for me was the free shipping to the UK. So how could I go wrong with a 16gb 3g iphone for 342 pounds??? I bought it there and then. Even thought about buying bulk as they have a wholesale enquires. Could have made some extra cash with the margin on that price.
Well Order was placed on the 30th December. On the 5th I contacted them via email that I have not recieved any update on my order status since placing the order. I was informed that they were closed over christmas and that thy will dispatch it in the next 2 days. I understood as this was normal for business to close over this period.
And true to their word the order was updated as sent on the 5th and a tracking number provided.
So I did a search for EMS their shipping provider. Hmm the provider is in china? Which probably means that the handset will be shipped directly from china. Now what this means is other than the 342 pounds that I paid for the handset I would have to also fork out customs charges to the tune of... who knows but probably 50 pounds or so.
So I check the EMS site and put the number in and nothing.... Invalid number...
I contact them and they inform me tha the Phone has been sent via China post, and gave me a new URL. The site was in chinese and no option for english.. Great! Thir suggestion use google translator.
So tapped in the tracking number adn a whole bunch of sybols appeared.. translated them and they Item is at Shenzen international and was dispatched on the 7th December.
Ok so it was a bit wierd and I will have to pay customs on the phone, but everything seemed in order.
Today is the 21st January, the traker is still saying Shenzen international and I have no phone and am lighter 342 pounds.
So moral of the story is no matter how goo the website looks make sure you check them out before you pay a cent.
And as for Specialphones.eu... Right now I have filed a dispute with their merchant services website called moneybookers. Its like a poor mans paypal. Anyway they are looking into the matter and have notified the Merchant (specialphones) of my complaint. Next if I dont get a resolve My VISA card issuer has a disputes service for just such occasions and I will get them to recover the money from moneybookers .
Today I was totaly fed up. Sent a final message to Specialphones.eu yesturday and recieved no reply.
I also Contacted Moneybookers.com to follow up on my case... no update, and all the seemed to do was patronise me. Gave me no indication on what they were doing on my case and when I would see a resolution.
So today I contacted my VISA card provider. They said that I can file a "non-reciept of goods" claim though them after 30 days so I have to wait till the 30th Jan but once that date is reached I can file a dispute and the money should be credited back to my account in 5 working days. Hooray for credit card companies!!! (Now there is a sentence I thought I would never say!!!!)
Also becasue I was so !!!!ed by the way moneybookers ignored my emails and queries. I have also raised a complaint that they are involved in internet fraud with their merchants to TRUSTe.org. This is serious for them as they will be in all sorts of trouble if it turns out that they have been involved in a scam!!!
I urge anyone that has made a transaction to follow suit and perhaps we can shut down these shadowy operators once and for all.
My next port of call is the FSA!!!!
http://www.shvoong.com/internet-and-technologies/mobile/1862630-www-specialphones-eu/
http://resources.alibaba.com/topic/450457/Specialphones_eu.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090122102501AAvwIjd
On the 30th of December I came across as site completely by accident. I was looking for a iPhone and my intelligent googlemail suggested I check out specialphones.eu.
I went to the site and was impressed, the phones were cheap and its seemed to be well managed site, better than some of the others that I visited in the past. What swung it for me was the free shipping to the UK. So how could I go wrong with a 16gb 3g iphone for 342 pounds??? I bought it there and then. Even thought about buying bulk as they have a wholesale enquires. Could have made some extra cash with the margin on that price.
Well Order was placed on the 30th December. On the 5th I contacted them via email that I have not recieved any update on my order status since placing the order. I was informed that they were closed over christmas and that thy will dispatch it in the next 2 days. I understood as this was normal for business to close over this period.
And true to their word the order was updated as sent on the 5th and a tracking number provided.
So I did a search for EMS their shipping provider. Hmm the provider is in china? Which probably means that the handset will be shipped directly from china. Now what this means is other than the 342 pounds that I paid for the handset I would have to also fork out customs charges to the tune of... who knows but probably 50 pounds or so.
So I check the EMS site and put the number in and nothing.... Invalid number...
I contact them and they inform me tha the Phone has been sent via China post, and gave me a new URL. The site was in chinese and no option for english.. Great! Thir suggestion use google translator.
So tapped in the tracking number adn a whole bunch of sybols appeared.. translated them and they Item is at Shenzen international and was dispatched on the 7th December.
Ok so it was a bit wierd and I will have to pay customs on the phone, but everything seemed in order.
Today is the 21st January, the traker is still saying Shenzen international and I have no phone and am lighter 342 pounds.
So moral of the story is no matter how goo the website looks make sure you check them out before you pay a cent.
And as for Specialphones.eu... Right now I have filed a dispute with their merchant services website called moneybookers. Its like a poor mans paypal. Anyway they are looking into the matter and have notified the Merchant (specialphones) of my complaint. Next if I dont get a resolve My VISA card issuer has a disputes service for just such occasions and I will get them to recover the money from moneybookers .
Today I was totaly fed up. Sent a final message to Specialphones.eu yesturday and recieved no reply.
I also Contacted Moneybookers.com to follow up on my case... no update, and all the seemed to do was patronise me. Gave me no indication on what they were doing on my case and when I would see a resolution.
So today I contacted my VISA card provider. They said that I can file a "non-reciept of goods" claim though them after 30 days so I have to wait till the 30th Jan but once that date is reached I can file a dispute and the money should be credited back to my account in 5 working days. Hooray for credit card companies!!! (Now there is a sentence I thought I would never say!!!!)
Also becasue I was so !!!!ed by the way moneybookers ignored my emails and queries. I have also raised a complaint that they are involved in internet fraud with their merchants to TRUSTe.org. This is serious for them as they will be in all sorts of trouble if it turns out that they have been involved in a scam!!!
I urge anyone that has made a transaction to follow suit and perhaps we can shut down these shadowy operators once and for all.
My next port of call is the FSA!!!!
http://www.shvoong.com/internet-and-technologies/mobile/1862630-www-specialphones-eu/
http://resources.alibaba.com/topic/450457/Specialphones_eu.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090122102501AAvwIjd
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