This is about an Aran Sweater and Viking Jacquard Celtic Style sweater scam at vipsshops.com, using AI photo-models to falsely market a product that in no way resembles what is advertised. Inside see details of product, the seller, and dealing with PayPal complaints.
In February this year I fell for a scam called "Aran Sweaters" and "Viking Jacquard Celtic Style" at vipsshops.com. (Note that there are many other outlets.) With hindsight, I realised that the impressive photo-modeled items were AI generated. Aran is a kind of wool knit and Jacquard is a kind of fairisle with a sort of bas-relief or layered effect. The package when it arrived contained thin shiny polyester hoodies with dingey photoprints only vaguely ressembling the advertised products. See inside for details of the sellers and dealing with PayPal complaints. Readers might also be interested in news at an Australian Facebook Scam Alerts Australia group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/563868852214511
I have been looking for knitted wool jumpers for some time, so, when I saw some amazing looking ones at https://www.vipsshops.com/collections/aran-sweater, I was pleased to put in an order for three: Men's Viking Jacquard Celtic Style Cozy Knit Hooded Sweater / Black-XL; Men's Viking Jacquard Celtic Style Cozy Knit Hooded Sweater / Khaki-L; Women's Viking Celtic Knot Jacquard Knit Hooded Sweater / Grey-S.
When the package arrived, the description on the parcel was 'Men's polyester sweater, Women's polyester sweater.' They were synthetic hoodies with horribly dingey photoprints vaguely resembling the patterns on the apparently wool jumpers advertised online, as 'aran' (wool) and 'jacquard knit' (fairisle).
I complained to the seller, who asked me to return the items for partial refunds. I then complained to PayPal of goods not fitting the advertised description. I found PayPal's process for complaints very arbitrary, complicated, and difficult to understand and follow. I rejected an offer for two of the sweaters, thinking I could negotiate my complaint through PayPal. I accepted a half-refund for one sweater. I thought that I could continue the complaint to PayPal, but PayPal told me it was all over. I felt that PayPal's complaint system was unclear, and was not satisfied. I complained about their 'resolution,' but got nowhere. The cost of sending the sweaters back to China was in the region of AUD $45. I had no confidence that I would receive the refund, given the fraudulent transaction in the first place, so I was not going to throw good money after bad. So, I am down a total of AUD $191.51
Note that vipsshops.com is only one of many scam sites using these AI images.
The business that sold me the inadequate goods is in China. It's PayPal Account name is "Life be wonderful" and it comes up in my bank charges as "LIFEBEW3BS6 4029357733 HKG"
The business name and address is:
ATT : JIAlekuajing
Room 301, No. 20, Baiyun District,
Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province,
China 510000
Contact: +86 13318896185
I am uploading a couple of pictures of the advertised goods from the website, and a picture of one of the synthetic hoodies I actually received.
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