​

Do you have a friend or family member who loves to enjoy the convenience of online shopping? Then this story might be something you’ll want to share with them to help them stay safe from online shopping scams.

Adam Yearsley, a 40-year-old healthcare assistant, was in for the shock of his life after ordering a $980 HP ProBook laptop on Amazon as a ‘treat.’ What did he get instead? Two boxes of Weetabix!

Adam thought he might have received the wrong order after he noticed the package was particularly light. Image source: Adam Yearsley.

At first, Adam thought he might have received the wrong order after he noticed the package was particularly light. But after checking the label and seeing the correct name and postal address, Adam realised he might have been the victim of a pricey scam.

​

Adam contacted Amazon immediately and later reached out to the police to investigate the possible theft. Initially, he said the company was 'reluctant' to give him his money back and he was forced to pay $15 to have the cereal returned as part of the refund policy. The online retail giant has since apologised and refunded him in full.

He said: 'It made me think twice about ordering anything online again. You’re probably better off going into a shop and purchasing something you can physically see.'

Members, if you receive a package from an online retail giant that isn’t what you ordered, then make sure to contact them immediately and report them to the ACCC Scamwatch website.

Adam’s experience also serves as a reminder to be aware of the potential dangers of online shopping – never send money or give personal or financial information to someone you’ve only met online, and look out for red flags like professed feelings of affection very quickly and requests for money transfers.

Procedures to Take When Scammed During Online Shopping

While Adam's story does indeed shock and instil caution in the minds of many online shoppers, it equally highlights the importance of knowing the appropriate steps to take should you find yourself in a similar predicament. After all, it’s always better to be prepared.

Immediately get in touch with the seller, whether it’s a giant like Amazon or a small independent store – the sooner you report the issue, the faster it can get resolved. Image source: Freepik.

The first step is to act quickly – immediately get in touch with the seller, whether it’s a giant like Amazon or a small independent store. Remember, the sooner you report the issue, the faster it can get resolved. Adam did right by promptly reaching out to Amazon.

Should this not bear any satisfactory result, it's time to escalate the matter to your payment provider. Your bank or card provider may be able to help. This was Adam’s next intended move if Amazon had not resolved the issue.

But, don't stop there. Take an added precaution and report the incident to Scamwatch. Fraud is a serious crime, and although you might feel embarrassed or a bit disheartened, your report could help catch the scheming scamsters.

Regularly change your passwords and consider the use of two-factor authentication. Image source: Freepik.

Don’t forget about self-protection either. Make sure to regularly change your passwords and consider the use of two-factor authentication.

Lastly, it can feel a bit daunting, but sharing your experience publicly can make a big difference. Writing a review on websites like Trustpilot or posting about your horror on our very own Scam Watch forum or on social media, just like Adam has, can alert others of such scams and help in creating a safer online shopping community. Together, we can ensure a reliable and stress-free trip down the digital shopping aisles for everyone.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch website, has more information and advice for consumers when it comes to online shopping, as well as tips to help you identify if a website or online profile is indeed fake.

Be sure to regularly check our Scam Watch forum and share this article with your friends and family – and together, we can help keep our community safe.

 

[Dennis]

​

Do you have a friend or family member who loves to enjoy the convenience of online shopping? Then this story might be something you’ll want to share with them to help them stay safe from online shopping scams.

Adam Yearsley, a 40-year-old healthcare assistant, was in for the shock of his life after ordering a $980 HP ProBook laptop on Amazon as a ‘treat.’ What did he get instead? Two boxes of Weetabix!

View attachment 26557

Adam thought he might have received the wrong order after he noticed the package was particularly light. Image source: Adam Yearsley.

At first, Adam thought he might have received the wrong order after he noticed the package was particularly light. But after checking the label and seeing the correct name and postal address, Adam realised he might have been the victim of a pricey scam.

​

Adam contacted Amazon immediately and later reached out to the police to investigate the possible theft. Initially, he said the company was 'reluctant' to give him his money back and he was forced to pay $15 to have the cereal returned as part of the refund policy. The online retail giant has since apologised and refunded him in full.

He said: 'It made me think twice about ordering anything online again. You’re probably better off going into a shop and purchasing something you can physically see.'

Members, if you receive a package from an online retail giant that isn’t what you ordered, then make sure to contact them immediately and report them to the ACCC Scamwatch website.

Adam’s experience also serves as a reminder to be aware of the potential dangers of online shopping – never send money or give personal or financial information to someone you’ve only met online, and look out for red flags like professed feelings of affection very quickly and requests for money transfers.

Procedures to Take When Scammed During Online Shopping

While Adam's story does indeed shock and instil caution in the minds of many online shoppers, it equally highlights the importance of knowing the appropriate steps to take should you find yourself in a similar predicament. After all, it’s always better to be prepared.

View attachment 26558

Immediately get in touch with the seller, whether it’s a giant like Amazon or a small independent store – the sooner you report the issue, the faster it can get resolved. Image source: Freepik.

The first step is to act quickly – immediately get in touch with the seller, whether it’s a giant like Amazon or a small independent store. Remember, the sooner you report the issue, the faster it can get resolved. Adam did right by promptly reaching out to Amazon.

Should this not bear any satisfactory result, it's time to escalate the matter to your payment provider. Your bank or card provider may be able to help. This was Adam’s next intended move if Amazon had not resolved the issue.

But, don't stop there. Take an added precaution and report the incident to Scamwatch. Fraud is a serious crime, and although you might feel embarrassed or a bit disheartened, your report could help catch the scheming scamsters.

View attachment 26559

Regularly change your passwords and consider the use of two-factor authentication. Image source: Freepik.

Don’t forget about self-protection either. Make sure to regularly change your passwords and consider the use of two-factor authentication.

Lastly, it can feel a bit daunting, but sharing your experience publicly can make a big difference. Writing a review on websites like Trustpilot or posting about your horror on our very own Scam Watch forum or on social media, just like Adam has, can alert others of such scams and help in creating a safer online shopping community. Together, we can ensure a reliable and stress-free trip down the digital shopping aisles for everyone.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch website, has more information and advice for consumers when it comes to online shopping, as well as tips to help you identify if a website or online profile is indeed fake.

Be sure to regularly check our Scam Watch forum and share this article with your friends and family – and together, we can help keep our community safe.

Do we now have personal reports by Maddie and April by being members of SDC.

 

[oilsfromoz]

How is this a scam? I have used many online retailers, including Amazon, and when there's been a mistake I don't label it as a scam and approach the retailer for a remedy. So, can someone please explain why this error is a scam?

 

[Ricki]

Do we now have personal reports by Maddie and April by being members of SDC.

I believe Maddie is a staff member..??

 

[Loewenthal]

Not a scam, just a simple mistake. Although Amazon's initial response was poor form.

I recommend using PayPal to complete online purchases wherever possible. Their buyer protection is excellent. I bought an item that turned out to be a complete fake and totally useless. The retailer insisted I return the product at my cost before a refund would be given. I did that once before and received no refund, so I had a lack of trust. I filled in the PayPal complaints form and received a full refund almost immediately and the retailer copped a bad rap.

 

[MariaG]

I'm another person who will not buy online by any other means than Paypal. Actually, if I am buying something and they do not have Paypal, then I see that as a warning sign, so do not buy with them.
I am not an Amazon fan and either directly through suppliers' sites with whom I am familiar, or Ebay. I don't venture too far and wide and never, ever give out credit/debit card details.
I rarely purchase anything that is not in Australia and if I was the kind to sell online, I would not get involved in people coming to my home (like Gumtree). Don't like the idea of strangers coming to my door and being able to see what is in the home. That's probably why I don't sell online.
We need to protect ourselves in any way possible. Use some common sense and not give out any more personal information than is absolutely necessary.

 

[Catherines]

Unless I’ve missed it somehow, was this actually an Amazon sale or was someone posing as Amazon and actually a scammer?

 

[MariaG]

Unless I’ve missed it somehow, was this actually an Amazon sale or was someone posing as Amazon and actually a scammer?

The story makes mention of this as being an Amazon purchase. I guess it was a case of woopsie. Even so, they should not have procrastinated in the refund and been more pro-active in sorting out the how, why, where, and, who.

 

[Marj53]

Sounds more like a scammer to me.

 

[Jennylolo]

I believe Maddie is a staff member..??

correct she is staff

 

[mylittletibbies]

Unless I’ve missed it somehow, was this actually an Amazon sale or was someone posing as Amazon and actually a scammer?

No, it was actually an Amazon sale Obviously it was an error, not a scam, as he got his money back
Also obviously they expect you to return the wrong item, as you could just be someone trying to scam them, how would they know.
I once had a pair of curtains I purchased thru Amazon which hadn't turned up. They sent me another set and when the original ones turned up some months later they told me to keep them.
I shop a lot with Amazon and EBay, never had a problem.

 

[Leeta069]

Not a scam, just a simple mistake. Although Amazon's initial response was poor form.

I recommend using PayPal to complete online purchases wherever possible. Their buyer protection is excellent. I bought an item that turned out to be a complete fake and totally useless. The retailer insisted I return the product at my cost before a refund would be given. I did that once before and received no refund, so I had a lack of trust. I filled in the PayPal complaints form and received a full refund almost immediately and the retailer copped a bad rap.

I use PayPal for all online purchases!

 

[Defiant540]

Do we now have personal reports by Maddie and April by being members of SDC.

???

 

[mark godwin]

​

Do you have a friend or family member who loves to enjoy the convenience of online shopping? Then this story might be something you’ll want to share with them to help them stay safe from online shopping scams.

Adam Yearsley, a 40-year-old healthcare assistant, was in for the shock of his life after ordering a $980 HP ProBook laptop on Amazon as a ‘treat.’ What did he get instead? Two boxes of Weetabix!

View attachment 26557

Adam thought he might have received the wrong order after he noticed the package was particularly light. Image source: Adam Yearsley.

At first, Adam thought he might have received the wrong order after he noticed the package was particularly light. But after checking the label and seeing the correct name and postal address, Adam realised he might have been the victim of a pricey scam.

​

Adam contacted Amazon immediately and later reached out to the police to investigate the possible theft. Initially, he said the company was 'reluctant' to give him his money back and he was forced to pay $15 to have the cereal returned as part of the refund policy. The online retail giant has since apologised and refunded him in full.

He said: 'It made me think twice about ordering anything online again. You’re probably better off going into a shop and purchasing something you can physically see.'

Members, if you receive a package from an online retail giant that isn’t what you ordered, then make sure to contact them immediately and report them to the ACCC Scamwatch website.

Adam’s experience also serves as a reminder to be aware of the potential dangers of online shopping – never send money or give personal or financial information to someone you’ve only met online, and look out for red flags like professed feelings of affection very quickly and requests for money transfers.

Procedures to Take When Scammed During Online Shopping

While Adam's story does indeed shock and instil caution in the minds of many online shoppers, it equally highlights the importance of knowing the appropriate steps to take should you find yourself in a similar predicament. After all, it’s always better to be prepared.

View attachment 26558

Immediately get in touch with the seller, whether it’s a giant like Amazon or a small independent store – the sooner you report the issue, the faster it can get resolved. Image source: Freepik.

The first step is to act quickly – immediately get in touch with the seller, whether it’s a giant like Amazon or a small independent store. Remember, the sooner you report the issue, the faster it can get resolved. Adam did right by promptly reaching out to Amazon.

Should this not bear any satisfactory result, it's time to escalate the matter to your payment provider. Your bank or card provider may be able to help. This was Adam’s next intended move if Amazon had not resolved the issue.

But, don't stop there. Take an added precaution and report the incident to Scamwatch. Fraud is a serious crime, and although you might feel embarrassed or a bit disheartened, your report could help catch the scheming scamsters.

View attachment 26559

Regularly change your passwords and consider the use of two-factor authentication. Image source: Freepik.

Don’t forget about self-protection either. Make sure to regularly change your passwords and consider the use of two-factor authentication.

Lastly, it can feel a bit daunting, but sharing your experience publicly can make a big difference. Writing a review on websites like Trustpilot or posting about your horror on our very own Scam Watch forum or on social media, just like Adam has, can alert others of such scams and help in creating a safer online shopping community. Together, we can ensure a reliable and stress-free trip down the digital shopping aisles for everyone.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch website, has more information and advice for consumers when it comes to online shopping, as well as tips to help you identify if a website or online profile is indeed fake.

Be sure to regularly check our Scam Watch forum and share this article with your friends and family – and together, we can help keep our community safe.

i have dealt extensively witn amazon and have always found best online on the internet . 24/7 help and they can all make decisions on the spot . fast replacement of faulty product , free replace or credit .