Reporting fraudulent online businesses

[pmacay]

I ordered something from an advertisement I saw on FaceBook, the website was super professional looking, with great graphics, and online ordering. My product never showed up and when I went back to the website, it had vanished. It wasn't much so I just kind of chalked it up to being ripped off.

Now it's happening again, I saw an ad on FB for a product and I went to their website and ordered it, again, super professional looking with videos and graphics, the website is still there but I'm thinking as soon as they collect enough money it's going to vanish again. I ordered the product on Aug 20 and when I click on "Ver mi pedido" it says "Estamos preparando estos artículos para el envío." I've sent them two message through their "Contact Us" link, but have received no reply.

Is there an agency to report fraudulent online businesses here?

Thanks for any tips.

Pete

 

[carride]

I ordered something from an advertisement I saw on FaceBook, the website was super professional looking, with great graphics, and online ordering. My product never showed up and when I went back to the website, it had vanished. It wasn't much so I just kind of chalked it up to being ripped off.

Now it's happening again, I saw an ad on FB for a product and I went to their website and ordered it, again, super professional looking with videos and graphics, the website is still there but I'm thinking as soon as they collect enough money it's going to vanish again. I ordered the product on Aug 20 and when I click on "Ver mi pedido" it says "Estamos preparando estos artículos para el envío." I've sent them two message through their "Contact Us" link, but have received no reply.

Is there an agency to report fraudulent online businesses here?

Thanks for any tips.

Pete

If you used your credit or debit card, report the fraud to them. If it is a US card your money will, most likely, be returned quickly even as they investigate. Probably in argentina too. I know people who have had their Argentina cards stolen and fraudulently used, and they had those transactions reversed after they contacted the bank (or it was Visa/Master in Argentina, I forget)

Lesson one, never click advertising shown on Meta corp owned Facebook or Instagram or Threads or WhatsApp. Really never click on advertising anywhere on the web.

Lesson two, mostly use only a credit/debit shopping argentina websites even though many tell you there is a promo if doing the very common bank transfer to CBU/Alias. If you really know and trust the website, then transfer is perhaps a ok idea.

 

[Caribbean Cool]

The lesson is, if it ain't Amazon it ain't.

 

[FrankPintor]

FB and IG are completely lawless platforms, complaints to them are never acted on, unless it's something about nudity (off-topic, it's always been a wonder to me, why the US went to war with the Taliban, when they share so many of the same values).

I've been scammed once on FB, where a supposed pool contractor actually showed up in person to sign a contract and take a deposit. As far as I know, his profile still exists on FB, and FB helps him hide and block unfavourable comments and users. A report to the police here, completely documented, and even with the scammer's address, has brought no results after several years. You're on your own.

FB can be actively dangerous, there have been reports of people buying cars or other high-value items, and being assaulted and robbed at the meeting place.

I was also scammed on IG, but I use it to check out interesting stuff, and you can see how old a profile is, and if it's gone through recent name changes. For actually ordering stuff I contact the vendor on WhatsApp (where a business account should include a physical address and a website), and preferably use an online shop like mitiendaenlanube, or something like that.

Ordering on ML has also generally been positive, it's what I use mostly now... you get to see ratings, and how many items a vendor has delivered. I just reported a company for selling a car with the airbags disconnected (basically attempted murder) and the mileage manipulated as well. Even then, it's too easy for a vendor to change names and continue to scam. If you're buying a car, always have it scanned by a mechanic of your choice (I know a good one in Zona Norte).

 

[elhombresinnombre]

I'm sorry to hear about your experiences. Defensa del Consumidor/Defensa al Consumidor the nationwide/city-wide consumer organisations ought to be the places to go. I can vouch, on behalf of other family members in Argentina, for how they have unleashed the dogs of war against dodgy businesses which have a physical presence but I'm not sure how well equipped they are to deal with shapeshifters in the spirit world of the internet.

Contact them here:

Defensa del consumidor

Iniciá un reclamo, conocé tus derechos como consumidor, capacitate e informate para mejorar tu experiencia en el consumo.

www.argentina.gob.ar

Defensa al Consumidor

Es el organismo oficial encargado de aplicar las leyes que protegen a los ciudadanos de Buenos Aires en su rol de consumidores de productos y servicios.

buenosaires.gob.ar

 

[FrankPintor]

I'm sorry to hear about your experiences. Defensa del Consumidor/Defensa al Consumidor the nationwide/city-wide consumer organisations ought to be the places to go. I can vouch, on behalf of other family members in Argentina, for how they have unleashed the dogs of war against dodgy businesses which have a physical presence but I'm not sure how well equipped they are to deal with shapeshifters in the spirit world of the internet.

It would be great if they've stepped up their act, I reported a scam by a chemist in Pilar about 3 years ago, completely documented, but again they wanted more details. And more details. I just gave up.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

It would be great if they've stepped up their act, I reported a scam by a chemist in Pilar about 3 years ago, completely documented, but again they wanted more details. And more details. I just gave up.

In our case, the family member purchased a rather expensive piece of domestic equipment from the shop of a supposedly reputable brand. It broke down prematurely. The company claimed that, what with inflation and other difficulties, it wasn't worth their while to honour their own warranty. Defensa al Consumidor sent the boys round and persuaded them that it was.

 

[Ries]

mercado libre is far more trustworthy. lots of the facebook stuff is actually being shipped from china, and that means it could take months, or never arrive.