Fell for Edith's Leather Scam E-commerce leather workshop store - what to do now?

sjb123

Hi all, despite usually being good at spotting fakes, last Friday morning I was looking at Facebook marketplace and saw an advert embedded in the for sale listings to a "leather workshop closing down sale" for a site called Edith's Leather. Prices that were "amazing" and some "friendly images" and a ridiculous backstory somehow got me. I bought a £40 leather bag which has yet to arrive.

Please don't buy anything but the link is https://ediths-leather.com

I emailed them seconds later to cancel immediately, they sent me an automated response, then 10 hours later said "why do you to cancel?" Then a few more hours later said "too late, it's been processed".

Once I looked at their site on a big screen, I could see the AI generated images a mile off.

I contacted my bank immediately (didn't use a credit card) who said nothing they can do for a while yet.

I have had no order updates or tracking from this company, which I suspect is in China, despite not saying that at all (apparently " Edith" owned a leather workshop in Liverpool for many years, but when I checked again, at one point it was " Canada"!!

Using reverse image searches I've found 4-5 other cloned sites using the exact same tactics.

What can I do?

• I've reported it to Shopify as one of the customer service emails came through with a Shopify domain - heard nothing
• Reported to the UK cyber crime website (or whatever it is called, I was directed there through various UK government websites)
• I've told my bank who said to wait
• Have thought about contacting Facebook but given their complete lack of morals I don't really think it's worth it
• Anything else?

Ultimately, I've seen no sign of the order, any updates from any couriers or anything similar.

Any advice welcome.

born_again

You will have to wait 15 days Visa & 30 days Mastercard from date of debit, before a non receipt chargeback can be started.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9MbhNJ5EIU

sjb123

I should add that I've since removed the Shop app as that was part of it- they made the purchase far too easy, and they clearly don't care who uses their app. Never again.

sjb123

My word. Even more ridiculous now I see it.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81908667#Comment_81908667

Don't fret too much OP, plenty of people fall for this (otherwise they wouldn't keep doing it), it's just a sophisticated drop shipping set up.

Hopefully nothing will arrive and chargeback will cover you for non-receipt, if not these places usually offer some kind of discount if you complain about the quality.

If they ask you to return to China general advice is not to and either try not as described chargeback with bank (but that may well require the return) or put it down to experience. 🙂

Renfrewman

Buying from Facebook advert…no thanks!

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6657917/fell-for-edith-039-s-leather-scam-e-commerce-leather-workshop-store-what-to-do-now

Their website says it's up to 13 working days for delivery of the goods so right now you are far too early given you are on working day 4 of 13.

It's likely the goods will turn up, it's equally likely they will be very poor quality. They dont claim to be branded so there is no option to go down the fake route. Therefore you will have to return them to be entitled to a refund either from them or from your card issuer.

Their website does say its a UK warehouse but almost certainly it will be a far east warehouse and so the cost of return will be at your expense and as its a "change of mind" not because the goods are faulty, it will be your cost to cover. They will normally offer you a further discount to keep the goods instead but if the discount ever turns up is another matter.

If it is a UK address, then that will be a new one, my guess will be the address will be non-existent so even if you do pay a lower price for a UK courier it will be returned to you as nondeliverable.

Really the best thing is not to buy from these from the first place. There are always warning signs beyond the silly low price… if it's an old woman leatherworker retiring why is there a warehouse involved? Why does it say it's 5 -10 business days for a delivery within the UK (because it's not in the UK)?

There's also the fact the sites not compliant to UK law on what must be displayed on a website. Normally their T&Cs have many obvious issues but these guys havent even bothered with any T&Cs.

On the plus side, its only £40, there are other posters on here that have spent 10x that or more.

sjb123

thanks all - feel a little less stupid and defo more awake for next time.

sjb123

These people are so shameless they've just sent me an automated update email from Linda's Leather about my order, then signing off as Edith's Leather at the end.

sjb123

A reverse image search using Google Lens shows a multitude of similar sites with identical lines and images (just different faces mainly), here are the ones I've found (DO NOT BUY!) - these are all scam sites domains which I've deliberately made not to be clickable:

ediths-leather.com

lindas-leather.com

elenaclaireleather.com

charlottes-atelier.com

joansbags.com

clare-bags.com

There may be more but please don't be a fool like me.