CROMWELL, CT — “Second-hand shopping” used to mean scouring your local thrift stores in person. But online options have made finding vintage clothes and accessories easier than ever. However, BBB Scam Tracker has gotten reports from shoppers who thought they bought legitimate vintage goods, only to receive knockoffs or nothing at all.
How the scam works:
You find a one-of-a-kind vintage item online that is in great shape and selling for a reasonable price. Often, this kind of scam originates with an ad on social media. You visit the website and everything looks normal, so you make the purchase.
In a best-case scenario, your package arrives, but the item isn’t anything like what you’ve ordered. It may be completely different, or it might be a knockoff instead of the real-deal vintage product you were promised. In a worst-case scenario, your package never arrives at all, and any attempts you make to contact the company are left unanswered.
One consumer told BBB Scam Tracker that she bought what she thought was a vintage Chanel necklace. But what she received was totally different. “I can tell it’s fake because the pendant is plastic and… the necklace made my whole neck and chest green.” When she contacted support, she received an “unprofessional email stating the owner has never had a problem before, and so there’s nothing they could do.”
How to protect yourself from vintage shopping…
