FRAUDULENT COMPANY-beware and advice please

WLC

Hi all

I recently ordered a wig for my aunty as her son got married yesterday, and through poor health, she has lost her hair. The company is called wigshow.co.uk, however I believe they also trade under halo wigs and a few others too.

After ordering it for her through PayPal, I found very worrying reviews. The reviews were all saying pretty much the same thing; the wig was a different style and colour to what was ordered (strangely always red), the company admit they are Hong Kong based AFTER you purchase even though they pose to be from the UK.

The reviews are true! My wig arrived and it was a different style and colour, hair falling out, cheap quality, and just plain awful, totally unwearable.

I contacted them and like all the reviews, they offered me to keep the wig and get a 40% refund. When I refused, they ended live chat. I have now opened a dispute with PayPal, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed (although some reviews said strangely PayPal sided with the company, stating the wig was a as described, even though they had not asked the person for a picture of the wig received).

There are hundreds of bad reviews as soon as you put their name into google, and they are paying to advertise in the top part of google too, so many people can fall into their trap as I did.

My question is, who can I complain to to stop this company, and hopefully help others in the future from being ripped off?. Google? Trading standards (maybe not if Hong Kong based)?

pmduk

The site's own FAQ says

How Quickly Can You Deliver My Order? Very quickly! Our company is based in the UK and we have an office in Hongkong, the address is Unit 2502, 25/F, Tower 2, Enterprise Square Phase 19 Sheung Yuet Road, Kowloon Bay. Our manufacturing base is also located there. In fact your order will be quickly delivered after 7-10 working days of producing your wigs

The website itself is registered to an individual in Hong Kong.

Personally I wouldn't have used them, but I can't see that they've been fraudulent, just sellers of poor quality gear

WLC

pmduk wrote: »

The site's own FAQ says



The website itself is registered to an individual in Hong Kong.

Personally I wouldn't have used them, but I can't see that they've been fraudulent, just sellers of poor quality gear

Action Fraud confirmed with me yesterday that it is fraudulent. According to them:

"Shopping and auction fraud involves fraudulent shopping scams that rely on the anonymity of the internet....it can included buyers receiving goods late, or not at all, sellers not receiving payment,
buyers receiving goods that are either less valuable than those advertised or significantly different from the original description and
failure to disclose relevant information about a product or the terms of sale"

So when you receive something that is not as described, that is fraudulent. As is misleading customers with regards to refunds that are never offered, and misleading customers with where you are located (claiming your based in the Uk when you are not). They have actually been fraudulent in a number of ways, according to the information Action Fraud told me over the phone.

So I was able to file a fraud report with them. Not that I'm sure that will account for anything, but can't do no harm so hey ho

pmduk

The only address on the website is overseas. I'm convinced that aspect of the case would never reach a court despite what frontline actionfraud staff tell you.

drbrum

I had a similar experience with an eBay seller fastmemoryman aka eSmartbuy

Paypal wanted me to return the item which I did via Recorded delivery but not from a post office that was fully digital. Although there were emails saying he received the returned item, Paypal refused to give me a refund because the Royal Mail Signature had to be requested by phone, when I did it and faxed/post&emailed them, they still refused to give me a refund. Paypal are based in Ireland, they make their own rules just ask Julian Assange

Anyway, what I'm saying is it maybe better not to use Paypal

pmduk

I use paypal a lot, but only for small ebay based purchases. I wouldn't rely on them for anything more than a tenner.

WLC

Yeah I'm hearing that a lot about PayPal. If PayPal won't help with my situation, I can cope. Luckily it won't a significant amount of money (if there is such a thing as insignificant money lol).

But others I have read have handed over hundreds to these conmen, and over many years. It's just a continuous cycle of them preying on vulnerable cancer patients and alopecia sufferers, who I think we all agree, have enough pain in their lives already. It sickens me

Just seems so unreal that our government can censor our internet (recent pornogrpahy censorship news), but the scam artists, well just let those carry on

WLC

pmduk wrote: »

The only address on the website is overseas. I'm convinced that aspect of the case would never reach a court despite what frontline actionfraud staff tell you.

Yeah unfortunately I'd have to agree with you. I read some horrible stats about them including losing thousands of reports, and then only bothering to pass around 40% to the police.

Nice to know our tax money is being spent on such a useless organisation that, in itself, is a liability. But hey, why break the habit of a lifetime eh Mr Cameron

dodger1

OP, hope you have realized it's best to look at reviews prior to parting with your money. Won't always work but still the best way.

WLC

Yeah, I'm normally the first to read reviews. But was under a little pressure from my aunt who is poorly to find her and get a wig delivered within 5 days. So led to me making mistakes I do not normally make.

But hey ho, like I said, my concern is not really about my personally situation (I've come to terms with the fact I made error 101 and lost out financially), but more with trying to proactively find out and do what I can to report and/or try to stop further victims...even if that be just getting the word out about them (which I am in the process of doing)