wrong item delivered and no answers from sellers

sushmita

I’d like to ask you for some advice on an internet purchase misadventure that I incurred to recently. This is the first time it has happened to me and I don’t know how to try to resolve the matter.
On June 11th I ordered a pair of shoes on a website (which I thought was based in UK). I received confirmation of my order, but never received confirmation of despatch.
I sent an email asking if my item was sent out. The emails were very simple like just one line, no greetings, no salutations, anyway I was told that it was sent out on June 16th and they gave me a reference number for the parcel. The reference number didn’t exist on internet. I understood though that the item was coming from China.
Eventually, I received the item on June 26th, though I discovered that the shoes are completely different from the ones I had ordered (different brand, different model, different size). I contacted the same email address, only after two days they answered and just said ‘Really? Can you send a picture?’. In the meantime I actually had already taken a picture and sent the email, although no answer was given me. I sent multiple emails asking to advise me on the wrong item, how to send it back, if I could get the right order or refund. No answer. Eventually, I went to the post office and asked the lady to send it back to the sender as if the addressee was unknown, it was the only possibility to send the parcel back without charges.
I sent another email where I informed them that I had brought the parcel to the post office. Again, no answer. On the website they don’t display any phone number.
In the meantime, today I received an automatic email from the payment server saying that the parcel was despatched, the email that I was supposed to receive on June 16th!
Basically in one week, I received only one email (the ‘Really? Can you send a picture?’) and nothing else. The parcel hopefully will go back to the sender in China, it could take up to two weeks.
Is there anything I could do, any board I could report this case?
Thank you.

njs030

How did you pay? If it was through PayPal ask for a refund.

Xterminator

Hi OP

you dont say what the website is, so im not sure how we can specific infiormation on where to go to report this issue.

Amazon are great to deal with, ebay seem to have decent protections. I always use paypal when possible for the added protection, and visa chargeback works too.

hopefully you wont be out of pocket.

sushmita

This is the website: http://www.hospitalityinfocentre.co.uk/ quite a strange name for a website where they sell shoes! Anyway, that's the one.
Unfortunately I didn't pay via Paypal, although they use a security system for payment. I received payment confirmation from safesslbillpay.com but...
... only now, checking on Google, I can see that they have many very bad reviews and it looks like scam

L1011

Any shoe site with a name like that is dodgy. Credit card chargeback asap. What you got are likely fake btw

BeardySi

Dodgy as feck site, 100% chance of fake goods. Don't waste your time trying to contact, get a charge back started.

sushmita

You're right, the shoes looked fake, and badly made. I called the credit card company, I've been told to call the dispute department tomorrow morning. Fortunately it's not a huge amount of money, but whatever I get refunded or not, I'll do it.
Thank you for your advice.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

How on earth do people find websites like the one the OP mentioned? Did it come up on a search? It looks ridiculously dodgy. I would be worried about my CC details.

L1011

Yamileth Salmon Screwball wrote: »

How on earth do people find websites like the one the OP mentioned? Did it come up on a search? It looks ridiculously dodgy. I would be worried about my CC details.

Searching for cheap current season trainers. They are price controlled so all the cheap sites are fake.

ED E

Some people should have all card not present transactions disabled on their account, just completely missing the awareness not to get screwed.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

I always try to find the cheapest shop online to purchase goods and never seem to come across these type of websites. I must be doing something wrong? :pac::D

L1011 wrote: »

Searching for cheap current season trainers. They are price controlled so all the cheap sites are fake.

CeilingFly

sushmita wrote: »

This is the website: http://www.hospitalityinfocentre.co.uk/ quite a strange name for a website where they sell shoes! Anyway, that's the one.
Unfortunately I didn't pay via Paypal, although they use a security system for payment. I received payment confirmation from safesslbillpay.com but...
... only now, checking on Google, I can see that they have many very bad reviews and it looks like scam

I can't believe people get caught out by these scams.

Everything about the site shouts fake. Even safesslbillpay is fake.

Did the site name not set off alarm bells? There isn't even an address or contact number.

Possibly you could do a chargeback - but that's doubtful aa they'll have delivery signature and you have no record of sending the goods back.

I reckon the money is lost.

TerrorFirmer

Honestly, who buys shoes from a site called "Hospitality Info Centre UK"?!

I can never understand these cases, at all. It's basically buying goods out the back of a van....on the internet. (arguably worse, at least with buying from the back of the van out actually get some sort of goods into your hand)

SweetCaliber

OP I'd also cancel the credit/debit card you used on that site also and get a new one sent out (make sure cc number and security code are different), I could see unexpected charges coming off your card in the future if not.

SweetCaliber

Also from doing a bit more digging via WHOIS, it is registered to a Lucy Wilson, with an address in London.

Then again that could easily be fake. However she is also associated with the website islamicmarriageevents.co.uk which again is a shoe site, and it also sent my anti virus into panic mode.

whomitconcerns

Hospitality info centre.... Jesus..... Sounds legit! Op take it as a learning experience, and based on the extreme lack of effort on their side to even pretend to be legit... Count yourself lucky the lesson didn't cost more. Sometimes you have to take the medicine as it's the only way to recover

whomitconcerns

Dupet wrong.

JCX BXC

I know alot of people who have been caught worse than this, normally these people haven't even thought of looking at the URL or the possibility of being scammed.

I do understand why the OP bought the shoes, as the website doesn't ring any real alarm bells at first sight (other than the URL, which can easily be missed). I'd say try your best to get the money back, but if you cannot, let it be a lesson.

I'm genuinely surprised that you got the shoes though!

sushmita

CeilingFly wrote: »

I can't believe people get caught out by these scams.

Everything about the site shouts fake. Even safesslbillpay is fake.

Did the site name not set off alarm bells? There isn't even an address or contact number.

Possibly you could do a chargeback - but that's doubtful aa they'll have delivery signature and you have no record of sending the goods back.

I reckon the money is lost.

I could answer with one word, I'm too naive, or stupid. What can I say? At least I learnt the lesson
To your comment that the money is lost, fortunately it wasn't a high amount of money, I was lucky by that point of view, I read of people being stolen much more money. However, I personally wouldn't discourage somebody from reporting such scums. It could bring to nowhere, but if everybody had your opinion, then nothing will be done and these people will continue acting like that and more comfortably. Fraud must be persecuted.
It doesn't matter if I get the money back or not, actually, I do not care. It's a matter of principle and fairness.
I sent the report to the bank today.

sushmita

SweetCaliber wrote: »

OP I'd also cancel the credit/debit card you used on that site also and get a new one sent out (make sure cc number and security code are different), I could see unexpected charges coming off your card in the future if not.

Thank you, I was actually thinking that too.

sushmita

JCX BXC wrote: »

I know alot of people who have been caught worse than this, normally these people haven't even thought of looking at the URL or the possibility of being scammed.

I do understand why the OP bought the shoes, as the website doesn't ring any real alarm bells at first sight (other than the URL, which can easily be missed). I'd say try your best to get the money back, but if you cannot, let it be a lesson.

I'm genuinely surprised that you got the shoes though!

No SSL cert when entering Credit Card info..

I be canceling card ASAP

sushmita

Hello.
I'm giving you an update about the matter, in case you're interested!
After receiving my query, the bank came back to me requesting letter from Clarks confirming counterfeit. At that stage I didn't have the item anymore as I had it sent back to China. The bank said that it was sufficient to receive a letter from Clarks where they confirm that they do not sell their items to the website mentioned above.
Clarks sent me the letter, they thanked me as well for letting them know about this case and said that their property lawyers are now investigating. I then forwarded their letter to my bank and after a very few days I got the credit with the same value date. In the meantime I have cancelled and received a new credit card as well.
I'd encourage anybody who have experienced something similar to report to their credit card companies.