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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be fearful for the future of on- line shopping due to scammers

15 replies

Sunrisewatcher · 19/12/2025 06:39

Something gots to give with this, it's just getting so out of control...
I've had a recent poor experience with a Debenhams return and delay in refund. (In hindsight I should have come on here to check others experience as there are many threads about this retailer). Anyway, last night I decided to put my complaint on their X social media page to get a response - there were several X accounts for Debenhams and so I chose a Customer Service one.

Long story short... It transpires that the account is in fact bogus. My post was responded to really quickly where they said one of their representative would contact me via phone to resolve the issue and that I should follow their account and DM them with my full name and phone number. Seemed reasonable at this stage and so I did this. The representative called within seconds of my sending the DM. The call came via WhatsApp - they quickly agreed to refund the value of the goods along with a compensation amount. I gave him the amount of the goods and he then Whatsapped a Ref case number 250 along with another word 'Lemfi' and asked me to download an app called 'Lemfi' in order to process the refund. I queried this asking him to just refund back to the original payment method. He said Lemfi is their company policy to use Lemfi??? At this point I gor really suspicious and asked him which country he was calling from - he told me London. I asked which part / borough of London and he then hung up!

Doing a search into Debenhams it appears they are owned by Boohoo. Although have rebranded as Debenhams... They really aren't Debenhams as we all knew and trusted are they?
Anyway, my AIBU is to no longer use On line shopping as I can't trust these huge Worldwide companies hiding behind traditional trusted UK brands.

OP posts:
Glittertwins · 19/12/2025 06:43

I had this with a different company but same app use and same methods. I cancelled my card immediately aster realising something didn’t seem right regardless. I also reported the account and it was removed.

Doiwalk · 19/12/2025 06:44

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Doiwalk · 19/12/2025 06:45

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Justlostmybagel · 19/12/2025 06:45

I think the future of online shopping is the last thing we need to be fearful for. It's very easy to avoid scams if you know what to look for.

Doiwalk · 19/12/2025 06:47

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Concretejungle1 · 19/12/2025 06:47

but none of those pages are actually the company? All of those pages are scammers? Im sorry you nearly got tricked but they don’t have a page called that? There are several scam pages called that.
you’ll know it’s real by the tick.

H202too · 19/12/2025 06:48

Was there no email with a return? When they called back straight away. Should have known then.

Parcell · 19/12/2025 06:49

I have never been scammed. I just check it’s the official website. If I buy on a platform like Etsy I check the reviews, the location and any other info. If it looks dodgy I don’t waste my time.

BTW I will never use the real Debenhams again because of their appalling customer service. They send me the wrong item and wanted to charge me to return it.

oneangrydwarfand200solemnfaces · 19/12/2025 06:51

these scammers have fake accounts for everything. Just looks for any post tagging trainline or easyJet etc and you see multiple accounts with the company logo jumping in to reply. I think what’s more of a risk to online shopping currently might be Evri! Nothing makes me decide to go in person like seeing a company use them for deliveries.

ColdAsAWitches · 19/12/2025 08:09

Your title is about scammers, but your AIBU is about British companies owned by global ones. Those are two very different things. Multinationals have existed for decades, it's not a new thing. Some British brands have been owned by American companies since before online shopping. Walmart and asda for instance. So in that respect, yes yabu.

stackhead · 19/12/2025 08:13

I mean you got scammed by Twitter not the shopping company. If you're not tech savvy enough to realise that then your shouldn't be using social media for anything other than posting pictures of your pets.

Forever1973 · 19/12/2025 08:16

I am not keen on online shopping both because of the minefield of scammers and because I'd rather see the goods before I buy them - I don't want the hassle of returning things that are disappointing, don't fit etc. I try to support physical shops - use them or lose them!

Shoxfordian · 19/12/2025 08:17

Its just that you didn't check properly
The WhatsApp call was a bit of a red flag as well

Makemeanonymous · 19/12/2025 08:19

I don't think any of us can be blasé about scamming.
The reality is that even the most vigilant among us can potentially be caught out - I listen to the consumer programme You and Yours which regularly does features on scams and always their message is even the most savvy people can end up victims

However, online shopping is here to stay and all we can do is be vigilant and be aware of potential pitfalls and new scams.

Chachacha2 · 05/01/2026 15:30

Have just nearly been caught out by this exact thing. Absolutely unbelievable. There is no way to contact them by phone. I will NEVER buy from them again. Appalling

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