Scammed by a Chinese Wholesaler

[Muckywalrus]

Hi all,

I have tried to find a good place on the forum to put this post but couldn't find one that I was sure about so if this is in the wrong place feel free to move it!

Basically a few of my friends have been going through some money troubles recently (been laid off from work etc) and so I've been trying to find ways to raise a bit of extra money to help them out and to keep myself in a good position.

A while back I looked into buying iPhone cases and similar products at wholesale prices and reselling but I never got round to it because of other commitments.

Anyway - long story short I took a risk on ordering some electronics from a Chinese wholesaler, of course I made the stupid mistake of paying by Bank Transfer and to be honest I almost knew it was a scam when I was going through the whole thing with them. Needless to say the seller deleted my Skype and has taken the money (about $530).

I realise it's lesson learned etc and stupid mistake on my part but I wondered if you guys had any idea how I can either get my money back (or at least some of it) or teach the seller a lesson/scare them into sending my money back?

I have a photo of the sellers "Business Licence" (could be fake for all I know) and a few other details of them including website, name (could be fake) and more and I was wondering if there is anything you guys could suggest?

Thanks and sorry if this is in the wrong place!

 

[blacktrilby]

Nothing you can do really. Suck it up, learn and move on.

 

[nonai]

nothing you can do, the seller has already moved on to the next victim.
PS 99.9% of sellers on alibaba are scammers who will send you nothing.
a "gold seal" or whatever they have on their profile doesnt mean shit.

but dont feel stupid, I also got scammed both times I tried to buy and I said never again.

 

[BHW-News]

Next time, use an escrow or something like Alibaba that has protection in place with reviews etc.

Nothing you can do, except count it as an expensive lesson.

 

[Trepanated]

Most people are traceable, but the cost would not be worth it to recover just $530 - and even if you go to the expense of tracing him you're still going to have difficulty recovering the money (at even more expense).

You're just going to have to put it down to experience and learn the lesson from it.

And in future to be safe, only do business with people you can track down.

One day, if you're importing goods by the container, you'll be glad it only cost you $530 to learn that lesson.

 

[nonai]

Next time, use an escrow or something like Alibaba that has protection in place with reviews etc.

Nothing you can do, except count it as an expensive lesson.

alibaba has protection in place with reviews?
I haven't been on that site in a long time but last time I checked they offered zero protection and sellers had no reviews except a fake gold seal on their profile.

 

[Muckywalrus]

Haha - I thought as much really, thanks anyway lads!

 

[incavated]

I never buy or ship things over seas. Something always goes wrong.

 

[peter020]

PS 99.9% of sellers on alibaba are scammers who will send you nothing.
a "gold seal" or whatever they have on their profile doesnt mean shit.

99%? Living under a rock?

If you place a order and the seller doesnt deliver etc. Aliexpress wont release the money to the seller, they will give it back to you.

 

[Trepanated]

99%? Living under a rock?

If you place a order and the seller doesnt deliver etc. Aliexpress wont release the money to the seller, they will give it back to you.

Plus they are now a publicly traded, multi-billion dollar company and have a vested interest in policing things properly.

 

[royserpa]

If it was 530,000 USD, I would go for it. But for $530... That's just an expensive lesson