Grrr ... I've been scammed

[GeoffL]

I'm posting here to alert others:

I recently saw several posts on FaceBook advertising camping chairs. Although the chairs were the same (see piccy), there were a few sellers. Our old chairs are just about worn out and these have canopies that can be folded away when not in use and which also double as a storage bag. I've seen similar chairs without the canopy for about a tenner and so £15+ each seemed reasonable i.e. not too cheap to be too good to be true. However, when the package arrived, it contained just two bags that might have been suitable to store a child's chair. Carrying out a search on the seller turned up this page, which shows that several others have been similarly caught out and suggests that the seller never intended to supply what I paid for. Hopefully, I can get a refund from PayPal but a salutory lesson learned -- always check thoroughly before buying online! ....

 

[SquirrellCook]

Sorry you've been had, but my policy is that FB is for fun and nothing is real.

 

[Nabsim]

Sorry you've been had, but my policy is that FB is for fun and nothing is real.

I sold a good few bits on Facebook marketplace when clearing out the house. I thought it much better than eBay (I always cock up on there) as no fees involved. I haven’t bought though but guess it’s always buyer beware. Okay for local stuff where you can go and see before handing over cash maybe?

 

[GeoffL]

I sold a good few bits on Facebook marketplace when clearing out the house. I thought it much better than eBay (I always cock up on there) as no fees involved. I haven’t bought though but guess it’s always buyer beware. Okay for local stuff where you can go and see before handing over cash maybe?

I too have sold a few bits on FaceBook Marketplace and also bought one or two items -- the most valuable being our current car! However, the posts in this case are adverts that you can click through to access customer questions and comments, which gave the seller an apperearance of being genuine. My guess is that it was all fabricated to draw people in.

 

[Nabsim]

I too have sold a few bits on FaceBook Marketplace and also bought one or two items -- the most valuable being our current car! However, the posts in this case are adverts that you can click through to access customer questions and comments, which gave the seller an apperearance of being genuine. My guess is that it was all fabricated to draw people in.

Ah funny you should say that. I did the same on some reading glasses in one of those adverts. They showed to work like varifocals and I had broken mine. Thought £24.99 including 3 day postage was worth a gamble. That was 2nd June and PayPal still not coughed up yet. Hope you do better than me

 

[Snapster]

My daughter is moving house and uses FB and has been selling furniture and other stuff and bought a couple of other items, but all transactions were face to face and involved cash. She would never use it to buy or sell things remotely, as you have found out, too many dishonest people about.

 

[SimonM]

That’s why it’s called FaecesBook - it’s full of sh!t.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

That’s why it’s called FaecesBook - it’s full of sh!t.

I've long called it *rseBook

 

[madtheswine99]

I dont use FB marketplace, but gumtree and have just sold 3 of those camping chairs. I know what you mean about false advertising. I knew a bloke years ago who was scamming people with PlayStation. His ad read Brand New PlayStation box, and then described everything that should be in the box, silly people fell for it and paid several hundred pounds only to receive a brand new box. Nothing illegal really, just read the whole ad including any small print.

 

[n brown]

Pay Pal . i sold a van window on ebay for 30 quid , guy paid by paypal and collected it . then he got in touch with paypal and said he hadn't authorised the payment . they reimbursed him and charged ME 35 quid . no more paypal for me

 

[iandsm]

£15 for a folding chair with a canopy is too cheap to be true by about £60 or more but sorry you have had a bad experience.

 

[GeoffL]

£15 for a folding chair with a canopy is too cheap to be true by about £60 or more but sorry you have had a bad experience.

For the quality those chairs look to be, £15 is cheap, but not too cheap to be true. These on Amazon are £12 without a canopy including delivery and I've seen similar in motorway service stations for a tenner. £75 would be a suitable price for something in a completely different league!

Anyway, story so far is that I'm waiting for PayPal to respond. After @madtheswine99's post, I checked the vendor's website to find the advert has changed. When I ordered the chairs, there were two options: blue or black colour. These have been replaced by one for a "Covered high grade portable folding lawn bag with canopy" and "Covered high grade portable folding lawn chair". When you click the second option, the price shoots up to over £225! They never sent me an email acknowledgement of my order -- just a text. However, PayPal did and that receipt describes the item as, "Premium Portable Camping Folding Lawn Chairs with Canopy - COVERED HIGH-GRADE PORTABLE CAMPING FOLDING LAWN BAG WITH CANOPY". Whether the item described is a chair or a 'lawn bag with canopy', it clearly isn't what I received -- and that forms the basis for any hope I have of getting a refund.

 

[iandsm]

For the quality those chairs look to be, £15 is cheap, but not too cheap to be true. These on Amazon are £12 without a canopy including delivery and I've seen similar in motorway service stations for a tenner. £75 would be a suitable price for something in a completely different league!

Anyway, story so far is that I'm waiting for PayPal to respond. After @madtheswine99's post, I checked the vendor's website to find the advert has changed. When I ordered the chairs, there were two options: blue or black colour. These have been replaced by one for a "Covered high grade portable folding lawn bag with canopy" and "Covered high grade portable folding lawn chair". When you click the second option, the price shoots up to over £225! They never sent me an email acknowledgement of my order -- just a text. However, PayPal did and that receipt describes the item as, "Premium Portable Camping Folding Lawn Chairs with Canopy - COVERED HIGH-GRADE PORTABLE CAMPING FOLDING LAWN BAG WITH CANOPY". Whether the item described is a chair or a 'lawn bag with canopy', it clearly isn't what I received -- and that forms the basis for any hope I have of getting a refund.

I am sure you will get you money back. PayPal have a reputation to look after. Might take a few days though

 

[iandsm]

 

[iandsm]

View attachment 85084

Are these similar. Did the scammer use a a photo of these?

 

[GeoffL]

Are these similar. Did the scammer use a a photo of these?

FWIW, I attached a photo in my OP, but here it is again for convenience:

 

[iandsm]

Yes not the same. Good luck anyway with Payal

 

[REC]

Coincidently, I was looking at the same/similar advert. But I noticed the ad showed a red chair which looked much stronger than the ones in later picture. I resisted the temptation to buy, luckily. Hope you get a refund.

 

[mfw]

Had that chair style before from £7 upwards and i always find the material tears fairly quickly - i weigh 80 kg - i would not waste my money on that type of chair now - mountain warehouse has a few styles of camping chair not the cheapest but they have reasonable selection - even better priced if you can find an additional discount code

 

[antiquesam]

I've got similar chairs without the canopy bought from Aldi at different times for about £12 I think. We've had them a few years now but lost one by leaving folded under the van one night and it got eaten by rats or something.