Unveiled: As Instagram fraudsters make buyers pay shipping costs for "luxury" products, of which they believe they receive free of charge (but they are actually cheap goods from China)
The examination of e-commerce sites showed that some allegedly use "dropshipping"
The promise of free items - for a delivery fee - attract customers to issue money
Buyers found can wait for orders for months - or they never arrive
Channel 4 claims that fraudsters sell cheap goods bought by Chinese websites
By Natalie Corner for Mailonline
Released:
15:52 GMT, June 28, 2018
| Updated:
15:52 GMT, June 28, 2018
20 shares
43
View comments
Instagram fraudsters use sophisticated drop-shipping techniques to get customers to buy cheap goods at excessive prices, as a TV examination claims.
An investigation by Channel 4 super shoppers covered a number of social media e-commerce accounts that advertise for luxurious swimwear, jewelry and clothing-of which none is actually in stock.
In fact, these are third -party providers who never have products, but with simulated images that they have been reduced by a very excessive price - and are only available to buyers for shipping costs.
The sellers simply take the customer's cash and order the products at bargain prices from Chinese websites that are sent directly to the buyer and collect the difference themselves.
It is a practice that buyers waiting for the arrival of their articles from China for months, said Supershoppers - if they arrive at all.
There is no indication that all processes involved in the drop-shipping are disreputable, but according to British consumer law, it is illegal to advertise a product as a discount if it has never been actually sold at the higher price.
Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis?Folsom & Co haben ein Instagram-Konto, das Käufer auf ihre Website führt und einen "kostenlosen" Bikini zu zeigen scheint, der zuvor 52,99 USD (46,69 GBP) gekostet hat.
But a quick search shows that the same bikini - and even the same model - is offered on Aliexpress and only costs $ 9.50.
In the show moderated by Anna Richardson and Sabrina Grant, E-Commerce consultant Artur Kraft explained: "What happens on this type of e-commerce website is that they are filled with drop-shipping articles so that [the sellers]don't do this ".Have these products physically. '
There are no inventory, no warehouse and no product, as Artur explained: "Drop shipping means that websites on Instagram will take your money for shipping and then order it on cheaper websites such as Aliexpress to send it directly to you."
Related articles
Previous
1
Next
Unveiled: How "thin" versions of popular cookies cost more ...
Millennials who admit that they are "ruthless" behind the wheel -...
'She has a better beard than most men!' Woman, 26, the ...
Sinitta reveals that Simon Cowell was “absolutely angry”, ...
Share this article
20 shares
Die chinesische Website AliExpress hat Zugang zu Millionen von Waren zu Tiefstpreisen, oft mit kostenlosem P&P, und der E-Commerce-Experte rät Kunden, die Einzelhandelsseiten direkt zu durchsuchen, bevor sie über Instagram einkaufen.
"I would normally never buy anything that is advertised on Instagram," said Kraft.
'If I am interested in a product, I just look for it and compare the prices on other websites.'
What is drop shipping? And how can I avoid it?
Be careful with brands that you have never heard of, no matter how brilliant your posts are
Incredible offer that apparently offers your products free of charge
The shipping costs are higher than the total cost of the product on Aliexpress
Even if you give it away, you still make a profit
Always look for other websites to compare prices
advertising
Folsom & Co, die im Channel 4-Programm erwähnt werden, erheben eine Liefergebühr von 11,95 USD (9,05 GBP) für 'kostenlose' Artikel, was den Kunden den Eindruck vermittelt, ein gutes Geschäft zu machen, aber dann wird das Produkt zu einem günstigeren Preis bestellt und der Verkäufer Taschen den Unterschied.
Another site that is shown in the show as an example, Alien Mood, offers its customers bizarre items, but at excessive prices compared to cheaper other providers.
It offers a few shorts at a price of $ 26.45 (£ 19.97) plus $ 6.45 for delivery, but the same article is available on Aliexpress for $ 16.40 (£ 12.38) with free shipping.
A buyer, a woman named Coral, explained on the show how she conflict with Instagram fraudsters.
"I love online shopping, I do it two or three times a week," she said.
“I was with my other half on vacation to Portugal last year and had finished my summer body.
“I ordered bikinis from a website, but they didn't show up before my vacation. The company didn't really keep me up to date when I'm honest.
"I received an email when ordering, in the status that I made my purchase, but there was no shipment success number or whatever to find out where my package is."
It took months before Corals Bikinis finally came onto the market.
Folsom & Co scheint luxuriöse Uhren und Bademode zu verkaufen und lockt seine Kunden mit wunderschön inszenierten Bildern
Alien Mood is another shop that appears on Instagram - your website shows a few checkered shorts for $ 26.45 (£ 19.97) ...
... but go to Aliexpress and customers can find the same article for $ 16.40 (12.38 GBP) each
Websites like Soficoastal also seem to advertise on Instagram for watches (picture), but when buyers visit their official website, there are no products for sale
Eine andere ungenannte Frau, 29, aus London, sprach mit MailOnline über ihre Insta-Shopping-Tortur, nachdem sie auf Instagram eine Anzeige für Folsom & Co gesehen hatte.
"I thought I would get a good offer - a bikini for free and I only pay about 9 pounds for the delivery," she said.
“I read the general terms and conditions and it was said that the delivery would take two to four weeks, so I was aware of the long waiting time and I had a lot of time before my vacation.
“But when it arrived, it was completely wrong. I ordered an orange bandeau bikini in medium and they sent me a Baggy Large in white. It was terrible and looked cheap.
"Even on the packaging of the package there were stamps from China everywhere. I tried to contact the website, but there was no answer. '
Seiten wie Alien Mood, Stone & Grayson und Soficoastal sowie Folsom & Co sind alle auf Instagram erschienen und verwenden Techniken wie gefälschte Verkäufe, reduzierte Kosten und kostenlose Artikel zum Verkauf von Produkten.
Instagram did not comment directly on the investigation of the super shoppers, but pointed out that it encourages users to be authentic and to follow the best practices in the industry as well as their own terms of use and community guidelines from Instagram.
Each account can be reported by a user who believes that it violates the community guidelines via the in-app registration function.
Mailonline has contacted all the websites presented on the show, but has not yet received an answer.
Superhoppers will be broadcast on Thursday, channel 4 at 8 p.m.
Share or comment on this article:
How Instagram fraudsters deceive customers
20
Proportions
Most viewed news videos
Prince Charles visits the eco -fashion in Glasgow with Stella McCartney
The police speak after the missing toddler Cleo Smith was found alive in WA
In front of the camera: "Bedroom killer" admits in the interrogation
Tory MP: Yorkshire racism "disturbing event in cricket history"
Professor Van-Tam: "The final whistle on Covid has not yet been blown"
Cleo Smith kidnapped suspects has shared Bratz puppet collection in the video
Owen Paterson: I would do what I did tomorrow
Kwarteng is not ashamed after the Tories voted for the release of Owen Paterson
Turkish Erdogan shows signs of decline when he has difficulty walking
Kwarteng says Owen Paterson problem deserves "right of complaint"
Teen murderers who are recorded on video surveillance while walking along the street
Dog drinks from the bathtub while the owner tries to relax in the London hotel
Comments 43
Share your opinion
Latest
Oldest
Best -rated
The worst rated
View all
The comments below were not moderated.
View all
The views expressed in the above content are that of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mailonline.
We no longer accept comments on this article.
