Spotting scam websites before buying

[SomeGarlic]

They're proliferating at a ridiculous pace. People on here keep linking to them as suggestions. I'm generously assuming they do it in good faith but, if so, that shows they've been taken in!

First thing. Check the returns policy. If it has a lot of words saying you will have to return your purchase to an overseas depot after messaging them to get the address: avoid!

I like to look up their head office on Google Maps. Scammers use random addresses, usually nothing like a business premises or fashion showroom. I've seen one that was a demolition site, and one was a school. Most are just normal flats and houses.

Adorable origin or closing-down stories. Have you ever seen a legit fashion company showing you their children, parents and dogs? Nope, that's for bloggers and 'influencers'. Fashion stores sell fashion, not their personal lives. Same goes for sad tales of closing due to personal circumstances, which are explained in detail - and identical to the sad circumstances of another closing-down sale or ten.

Multipurpose models. They buy packages of model photos, which can be virtually dressed in any garment. Even garments that don't exist - they'll knock up something vaguely similar if you order one. See the one below? They've used photo A three times, and didn't even notice they'd cut off her arm in two of the images!

Same dress, different colours. Sure, makes sense. What doesn't make sense is the photos being identical. If they're real dresses on a real model, the pictures will be different. If it looks like they just photoshopped a different pattern on the same picture, that's because ... they did.

TheTrustpilot browser extension floats quietly in the corner of your screen. You can click on it to see recent reviews, and it links directly to the reviews page for the site you're looking at.

I'm sure other MNers have more tips, including how to get our money back if we've fallen for one of these. They steal your data, too - I know others have more info about this.

Stay safe!

Intrigued to see on Jessica's website that they're recruiting a sales assistant for their relaxed and stylish boutique. They didn't give a location, naturally, so I looked up their UK head office at 14 Bishopthorpe Rd, York.

This is it. It's a Costcutter, address 12-14 Bishopthorpe Road. The grocery store goes all the way round the corner, so there's no possibility of a stylish boutique nestling on the terrace end.

🤣🤣🤣

https://store-locator.costcutter.co.uk/en-gb/north-yorkshire/york/12-14-bishopthorpe-road/115882

I second this - found a pair of earrings on Etsy for £22, same ones in Sainsbury’s for £5.

Also, check out the reviews. I left several negative reviews for the Fenvio colour changing lipstick.(drop shipping rubbish)They vanished tout suite. But the plethora of glowing reviews remain. If you click on the names, they are all bot accounts. Funnily enough, lots of positive Trustpilot accounts.

There are also scam-lite companies that are legit, but sucker you into a subscription you neither wanted nor were aware of.

On the recommendation of a blogger I respect and have followed for a few years, I bought a mascara designed for the middle-aged punter. The product is ok, for the half-dozen occasions a year I wear mascara.

The next month, I got an email joyfully announcing my next delivery was on its way. I squawked immediately, and after several bizarre AI-churned emails ("You're one of our most loyal customers!"), I got them to cancel.

Didn't get a refund, but I take that as the price of gullibility, a lesson learned, and enough mascara to see me through my golden years! Out of interest I searched for them on Companies House and discovered the company was dissolved in 2023.

@MixedFeelingsNoFeelings posts “…..The annoying thing is, these clothes in these ads, and google search “ featured products”, usually look quite nice! Wearable,attractive, vaguely fashionable but not out-there…..”
I totally agree. Some of the clothes/items are gorgeous. ☹️

The problem is that the image advertised does not reflect the reality of what is delivered in any way.

I know 😩

I think Lyra London is another one.

I was reading a thread similar to this one a couple of days ago (it was about Jessica) and I thought I’d just check a couple of things out on the site, and yes, shipment from China, some prices are in $ . I picked it up being advertised on SM as somewhere selling cotton kaftans but a quick look and they have a pile of random stuff, no particular style .

Eeek “……lots of positive Trustpilot accounts.
Oh no ! Have they infiltrated Trustpilot reviews. 😢

As with Amazon reviews, you can filter for low scores. I always do this if at all unsure. If there are NO negative reviews, you have to be suspicious! As @Ohwhatfuckeryitistoride notes, over-the-top praise usually indicates a bot but I think some are more devious, leaving very short five-star feedback.
Sigh ..!

Someone on another thread was raving about the spectacular dresses on a site called Glamlora. Not only do they charge for both shipping and return, they add a 15% 'restocking fee'. And their Terms & Conditions page is something else!

Excellent post OP.

There are so many of these websites. What I don’t understand is why people are even contemplating buying from some brand or shop they have not ever heard of. It’s a bit different when it’s a scam involving a known brand.

Hi Mums,I have just done a stupid thing-buying impulsively from an online sale by WILSON AND CARTER.Scam,scam,scam.The dresses arrived but cheap n nasty,worth 5 GBP not the 100 GBP they claimed was original price,nor 34.95 GBP I paid.They are too small but nothing, NOTHING will prompt this obviously Chinese seller to return my money. They just keep offering you percentages of your lost money plus"you can keep the dress"!!Yeah,but I don't want something ugly,cheap and too small!!!!!!
So I would like to warn you all-give WILSON AND CARTER a wide berth and if a saving is too good 2B true,its a scam,please save your money!!

I avoid anything I’ve never heard of!
John Lewis, next and M&S all the way

I'm sorry they got you, too, @HellyFel8. They're making a killing 😢I just checked with Google AI, which was still regurgitating Wilson & Carter's website copy when I started this thread - now it knows they're a rip-off Chinese drop-shipper that has conned thousands of customers!

It offered to guide me on getting my money back, so maybe give that a try? I didn't say I had a complaint, by the way, I simply typed 'Wilson & Carter' in the search bar and this is what came back.

Good luck 🤞

There are many, many respectable, honest, genuine, independent online retailers selling really interesting clothes.

It's not difficult to spot these scam sites. Google Lens will identify which other sites, usually including Shein and Temu , are selling the same goods. The sites themselves are full of red flags.

Having said that it would help if posters stopped posting links to them. A poster on another thread posted a link to a site called "Maison Noir". It's obviously a drop shipping site. The site even says returns are to China.

Agree it would be a shame if people stopped shopping with brands they had never heard of and just stuck to M&S or Zara. there are lots of great independent designers out there or small shops. It just needs a bit of due diligence.

I now assume all clothes sites being advertised on FB and X are scam sites and ignore