Wrong goods and website gone

DoaM

I had a quick look last night ... wasn't this company (the original, not the hacked version) declared insolvent in November 2017?

Edit: dissolved in December 2017.

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05177993

If the website was still live then it would be a prime candidate for hacking.

Les79

glentoran99 wrote: »

it looks like the site could well have been hacked, as it used to look like this


https://web.archive.org/web/20170422093503/http://www.essexwoodcraft.co.uk/


no sign of any clothes etc

There is a China-based racket currently operating who buy thousands of domain names each month and put up goods for sale.

They seem to have a habit of buying domain names of recently defunct legitimate companies even if it doesn't have any connection to their items.

Nothing to do with hacking at all. I may be wrong with this specific case, but that is generally what happens.

I've previously found one of their admin websites where they store transaction records for hundreds of people across their whole network of scam sites. Quite worrying how easy it is to access this data, but to be fair the data is minimal.

I am genuinely surprised as to how easily they dupe people though! The website design is a stock design, it usually has a slapdash look about it and occasionally the English isn't perfect. Plus, I don't get why people rely on some obscure website for purchases! What happens if your item doesn't arrive? Absolutely nothing, that's what happens! One thing I like about this racket is that they DO generally send the goods (fake or not), but surely there are red flags for people who use the site?! Surely it is better to look at the main UK-based retailers first?

This is why I'd never be a good businessman, I just can't comprehend the naivety of consumers at times!

pmduk

Les79 wrote: »

This is why I'd never be a good businessman, I just can't comprehend the naivety of consumers at times!

Let's stress, we're not calling the OP naive, as none of us have been able to see the website in question.

agrinnall

pmduk wrote: »

...we're not calling the OP naive...

Aren't we? Would you buy a coat from a site named essexwoodcraft?

pmduk

Would you buy greetings cards from funky pigeon or moonpig?

Les79

pmduk wrote: »

Let's stress, we're not calling the OP naive, as none of us have been able to see the website in question.

I am calling the OP naive!!

They bought a COAT from a site titled Essexwoodcraft.

There's an obvious red flag in the title....

Would you buy greetings cards from funky pigeon or moonpig?

Yes I would.

1. Because they are both fairly well known brands in the UK (I can hear the tune to their adverts in my head)

2. The website address don't hint at what they actually sell! We can't buy moon pigs and we can't buy funky pigeons. Well, you can make a weak argument about the companies being used for purchasing pigs or racing pigeons etc but that's a bit obscure because generally companies selling pigeons/pigs will choose a more direct website address so that they are easily found by people who want it, not because they want to attract new people.

If they were expecting me to buy greeting cards from these addresses then I'd probably not go ahead with the purchase:

https://www.manchesterelectricals.com
https://www.leedscrochet.com

agrinnall

pmduk wrote: »

Would you buy greetings cards from funky pigeon or moonpig?

I take your point, but as it happens I have never bought from either as I prefer to find cards in a shop and post them myself.

lofielectronic

Yes this is a scam and quite a common one.

Often the original website/owner will not realise that their website has been hacked and is hosting this hidden store. If I spent ten minutes on Google I could probably find a dozen of them now. That said they do also buy domains as mentioned as well but agree this would be an odd domain for them to choose.


Sometimes you get nothing and sometimes you get fake goods from what I've read. As said, contact your card company asap.

It does indeed come down to the 'if it looks to good' also I'd say avoid websites who list no physical address and have broken links to facebook and twitter as these illegitimate websites rarely bother to add those details.

pmduk

agrinnall wrote: »

I take your point, but as it happens I have never bought from either as I prefer to find cards in a shop and post them myself.

Me neither, but they were the first names that came to mind. Names appear irrelevant so often these days.

In this case, had the OP done a whois check it would have looked OK, the OP states the price didn't look unreasonably cheap. He made the sensible decision to pay by CC. At what point should you take the plunge and buy or miss out on a potential bargain?

glentoran99

Les79 wrote: »

There is a China-based racket currently operating who buy thousands of domain names each month and put up goods for sale.

They seem to have a habit of buying domain names of recently defunct legitimate companies even if it doesn't have any connection to their items.

Nothing to do with hacking at all. I may be wrong with this specific case, but that is generally what happens.

I've previously found one of their admin websites where they store transaction records for hundreds of people across their whole network of scam sites. Quite worrying how easy it is to access this data, but to be fair the data is minimal.

I am genuinely surprised as to how easily they dupe people though! The website design is a stock design, it usually has a slapdash look about it and occasionally the English isn't perfect. Plus, I don't get why people rely on some obscure website for purchases! What happens if your item doesn't arrive? Absolutely nothing, that's what happens! One thing I like about this racket is that they DO generally send the goods (fake or not), but surely there are red flags for people who use the site?! Surely it is better to look at the main UK-based retailers first?

This is why I'd never be a good businessman, I just can't comprehend the naivety of consumers at times!

The fact that the domain is suspended suggests something untoward