Online scam - imitation website

PerkyBoingo

Hello. Please don't judge me, I am aware that I have been very stupid and am beating myself up for it.

I was tricked into thinking a Facebook ad was legitimately for The Perfume Shop and ordered some goods....Low and behold my bank statement proved it was not The Perfume Shop, it's a scam site posing as The Perfume Shop. I should've spotted the signs it was fake (seems obvious now).

Despite the bank cancelling the card and reversing the pending transaction, the money has now left my account.

I have raised a dispute with the bank. I've provided evidence of me requesting cancellation of the order while the transaction was still pending. I have also provided evidence of an online chat I had with (legitimate )The Perfume Shop confirming it is indeed a scam.

When I spoke with the bank, he said I was his third call of the day that had fallen for it.

So, lesson learned the hard way, don't trust Facebook 😒 Has anyone had similar experience of claiming money back through scams like this?

Again, please don't berate me. I'm doing enough if that to myself 

Albermarle

Assuming that you have not lost a large amount of money with this type of scam, there might even be a silver lining . In that you are now inherently suspicious of ads on social media sites, which might save you a lot more money in future. Some financial scams starting with a fakebook ad, can cost people Tens of Thousands.

born_again

There is not a right to claim money back for falling these scam sites, as such.

What you have to do is hope the goods do not turn up & then there is a chargeback right for non receipt. Visa 15 days from debit date, Mastercard 30 days.
Or if the goods are fake, there might be a option. Just need proof from manufacture of the goods, that the site is not a seller/supplier of their goods.

PerkyBoingo

born_again said:

There is not a right to claim money back for falling these scam sites, as such.

What you have to do is hope the goods do not turn up & then there is a chargeback right for non receipt. Visa 15 days from debit date, Mastercard 30 days.
Or if the goods are fake, there might be a option. Just need proof from manufacture of the goods, that the site is not a seller/supplier of their goods.

I am very confident that the goods will not turn up.

What I have filed the dispute claim against at the moment is "misrepresentation" (i.e the dodgy company have misrepresented who they are by impersonating a genuine company). I will have to wait and see if that is accepted. If not, go through chargeback for non-receipt.

I'm hoping that the bank being aware of this scammer and having multiple other people report it to them strengthens my case and chances of getting the money back?

Has anyone dealt with a case like this and have any advise on timescales/ things I can do to help speed up the process?

PerkyBoingo

Sorry to bump the thread but there's been a development.

As I have provided the bank with evidence that I emailed the scam merchant with order cancellation request three times prior to them (allegedly) shipping the item, they are raising a chargeback on the grounds they have ignored my right to cancellation.

Has anyone had any success down this route?

Murphybear

We won’t judge you but thank you for warning us about this scam.  

Sadly scammers have been around for years.  I can remember when I worked near Oxford St in the early 70s you could often see people selling cheap perfume out of a suitcase.  It was big brand such as Chanel and at first glance looked genuine.  However it was never genuine, usually something fake and disgusting or even coloured water.   The seller usually had a friend who kept a lookout for police.  These people were often sited outside Selfridges or John Lewis where you could buy the real thing for eye watering sums of money 

Pollycat

Murphybear said:

We won’t judge you but thank you for warning us about this scam.  

Sadly scammers have been around for years.  I can remember when I worked near Oxford St in the early 70s you could often see people selling cheap perfume out of a suitcase.  It was big brand such as Chanel and at first glance looked genuine.  However it was never genuine, usually something fake and disgusting or even coloured water.   The seller usually had a friend who kept a lookout for police.  These people were often sited outside Selfridges or John Lewis where you could buy the real thing for eye watering sums of money 

That's where 'Only Fools and Horses' came from.

PerkyBoingo

Yes, sadly I can understand how scammers have always been around and always will be around (albeit moving with the times and moving their scams to online!).

I'm just hoping someone has had a similar experience with chargeback? Seems the bank want to go down the route that the merchant ignored my 3 cancellation requests (rather than goods not received - this remains to be seen as no items have arrived but we are still in the 15 day period).

heatherjt

Hi I too have just been scammed by this fake site posing as the perfume shop. Feel cross, hurt and silly. They have taken money from my bank account in the name of leggingsoutletspop. Is this the same with you. Bank very helpful. 

PerkyBoingo

heatherjt said:

Hi I too have just been scammed by this fake site posing as the perfume shop. Feel cross, hurt and silly. They have taken money from my bank account in the name of leggingsoutletspop. Is this the same with you. Bank very helpful. 

Yes it's the same site 😱 My bank advised I had to wait 15 days before they'll put the money back in my account and raise the chargeback. The 15th day is today so I rang and asked them to do this. They advised I have to wait for the entirety of 15th day to elapse, the relevant team don't work weekends so I have to wait until Monday.

What did your bank say?

sheramber

Another one here 
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6498106/think-i-ve-been-scammed#latest