I bought books from what looks like a dodgy site

bigpappa

I feel so low right now, I mean I can't change my number and I suspect I will be bombarded now with dodgy emails as well.

I feel like a right sucker and fool.

MeteredOut

bigpappa said:

MeteredOut said:

bigpappa said:

MeteredOut said:

bigpappa said:

Keep_pedalling said:

I don’t think it is a scam site, it is a US company that seems to have been trading since 2021 but the UK website was only set up this August. How long ago did your order? 

4 Days ago but didnt receive any update as to the order, I then emailed to try cancel and no response and I even called the number but it goes to Google voice.

Contact your credit card company, both to cancel the card, in case it is a scam site (I'm not 100% sure, but its does contain a lot of markers that indicate it might be) and also to see if they can cancel/recover the funds.

If the total was £100+, you also have S27 chargeback rights.

No money has been debited.

Ah, it sounds like it was a phishing site then, especially with the robocalls. I assume you've had your card cancelled and a marker added to your account.

I expect you already know your going to be bombarded with scam calls, as your details are passed/sold on. Perhaps use it as an opportunity to string a few of them along

I have not cancelled the card yet - how do I add a marker? Will that count against my credit score?

Different card providers will have different methods, but you ring up and ask. The idea is that any transactions that are made against the card may go through a higher level of automated checking before being approved. eg, it might ask for a One Time Passcode (OTP) where it might otherwise not have.  It should not affect your credit score (which is a marketing/vanity thing) or your ability to get credit, but that is something the card provider should be able to reassure you on.

I'm surprised cancelling your card was not your priority - if it was a scam site, those details (I presume enough for others to make purchases) will already be getting sold on.

Have you received any notifications from your card provider, eg, an OTP?

There is still a chance it was a valid site, but we don't know what the robocall said/asked for.

bigpappa

MeteredOut said:

bigpappa said:

MeteredOut said:

bigpappa said:

MeteredOut said:

bigpappa said:

Keep_pedalling said:

I don’t think it is a scam site, it is a US company that seems to have been trading since 2021 but the UK website was only set up this August. How long ago did your order? 

4 Days ago but didnt receive any update as to the order, I then emailed to try cancel and no response and I even called the number but it goes to Google voice.

Contact your credit card company, both to cancel the card, in case it is a scam site (I'm not 100% sure, but its does contain a lot of markers that indicate it might be) and also to see if they can cancel/recover the funds.

If the total was £100+, you also have S27 chargeback rights.

No money has been debited.

Ah, it sounds like it was a phishing site then, especially with the robocalls. I assume you've had your card cancelled and a marker added to your account.

I expect you already know your going to be bombarded with scam calls, as your details are passed/sold on. Perhaps use it as an opportunity to string a few of them along

I have not cancelled the card yet - how do I add a marker? Will that count against my credit score?

Different card providers will have different methods, but you ring up and ask. The idea is that any transactions that are made against the card may go through a higher level of automated checking before being approved. eg, it might ask for a One Time Passcode (OTP) where it might otherwise not have. 

I'm surprised cancelling your card was not your priority - if it was a scam site, those details (I presume enough for others to make purchases) will already be getting sold on.

Have you received any notifications from your card provider, eg, an OTP?

There is still a chance it was a valid site, but we don't know what the robocall said/asked for.

no OTP not received.

MeteredOut

bigpappa said:

I feel so low right now, I mean I can't change my number and I suspect I will be bombarded now with dodgy emails as well.

I feel like a right sucker and fool.

Easy to say, but please don't - Scammers are so adept at social engineering now, and everyone is looking for a bargain in the current situation.

You'll work through it - most email providers are fairly good at automatically blocking spam now, but you can block those that do get through yourself.

Recommendation for future: Use a separate email address for online purchases - separate from your normal email.

Nasqueron

MeteredOut said:

bigpappa said:

Keep_pedalling said:

I don’t think it is a scam site, it is a US company that seems to have been trading since 2021 but the UK website was only set up this August. How long ago did your order? 

4 Days ago but didnt receive any update as to the order, I then emailed to try cancel and no response and I even called the number but it goes to Google voice.

Contact your credit card company, both to cancel the card, in case it is a scam site (I'm not 100% sure, but its does contain a lot of markers that indicate it might be) and also to see if they can cancel/recover the funds.

If the total was £100+, you also have S27 chargeback rights.

Er?

Any payment of any amount can be reclaimed by chargeback up to 120 days after 

S75 protection is nothing to do with chargeback and is available up to 6 years in some cases and doesn't apply to the total but for individual items - an order of £20,000 consisting of 20,000 £1 books would not be eligible, an order of £100 for 1 book would be

PRAISETHESUN

You need to contact your bank ASAP and let them know what has happened. Request a replacement card with an update card number. Ask they also add a marker to your account (only affects that particular bank, it won't affect your credit file) that you might be more at risk of fraud in the future. Much easier to do all this now rather than playing clean up after money is taken from your account.

As for on-going identity theft protection, you probably need to start requesting copies of your credit reports from each CRA (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) on a semi-regular basis from now on (every month or two for now). Look for any changes to the actual data, rather than your score/rating moving around. You could also consider a protective registration, but it might be overkill (and it does cost money).

DullGreyGuy

Looks like a well setup scam website of some description...

Delivery times are 20 days, thats not normal for a company in the UK or US. 

Every single item is at least 33% off.

Their terms are ok written and more complete than most but the open sections are wrong, looks like someone copy/pasted them and didnt know how to edit the names out whilst not wanting to give their actual identity eg...

This Privacy Notice describes how we and its affiliates

Plus the font change and different way of introducing themselves show its clearly a copy paste job from two different sources.


Most of these sites are businesses based overseas and normally product does eventually turn up but its rarely what you expect and you'll be required to return the goods to China etc at your own expense if you want a refund or you keep them for a 20% or 30% discount. 

Guess it could be a phishing site. 

Either way, report the issue to your card provider and ask them to cancel the card for fraud and issue a replacement. They may not be able to do a chargeback, if the funds are collected, until more time has passed in case they are just slow in sending the goods.

bigpappa

Called my bank and they said not seen anything and that I should just keep monitoring my account as it maybe they are slow but not to do anything other than be vigilant. There was no need to cancel my card.

Just to confirm no transaction has gone through. 

That's put me at ease. 

MeteredOut

bigpappa said:

Called my bank and they said not seen anything and that I should just keep monitoring my account as it maybe they are slow but not to do anything other than be vigilant. There was no need to cancel my card.

Just to confirm no transaction has gone through. 

That's put me at ease. 

If you typed your card details into a website you now think is suspect, I'm surprised the bank did not recommend (or even mandate) the card being cancelled.

I hope you did tell them you had done so, and not just ask if there was any suspicious activity on your account.