Scam website: archieelectronics.com.au

A few weeks ago I was scammed by an online website ...techshopping.com.au, selling cheap (but not dirt cheap) electronics. I paid for a large screen TV but it never arrived. Within weeks of this site hitting the blogs, it was shut down.

An identical site appeared under the name: techdiscounts.com.au. It has also been shut down. It turns out the domain names were hosted by hostgator or crazy domains; the street addresses were bogus; as were the Scamadviser page ratings, Australian Business Numbers and phone numbers.

Today, through ...whirlpool.net.au forums, I learned another scam site is in operation by apparently the same fraudsters (all 3 sites have been almost identical): ... archieelectronics.com.au (Archie Electronics). This new site still appears to be fresh.

I have lodged further complaints with the local authorities about this new scammer. Hopefully they can be caught and people can recover some of their lost money before the bank account and website are shut down.

I don't think I'll be shopping online for a new TV anytime soon.

i had just purchased a go pro 3 off http://www. ArchieElectronics .com.au...now it is non exsistant..ring your bank try intercept the payment...

Welcome to Scamwarners rebecca231187,

I think you are saying the Website is offline. If so, it appears to be removed. It was a fake website.

Theres is not much you can do now. Sorry, to hear that you lost money. These scammers set up fake websites with fake information.

Keep in mind that these scammers sometimes take notes of their victim's. He may contact you again for more money or to try to sell you some thing else. He will be using a different email address and another fake website.

I will suggest buy from reputable retailers with storefronts. Most have websites. If not purchase locally where you can see what you are buying and speak with the merchant.

I bought a ipad 4, 16GB last week, 8 May 2013. When it did not arrive in a timely manner I tried going to the website to chase it up only to find the site has been taken down. I no doubt have lost my $470. Other than getting the my bank to recover the money that will take a minimum of 4 weeks (fat chance it will still be there) is there anything else I can do to recover the money? It was a National Australia Bank account but they were totally uninterested in doing anything about it and just palmed my off to my bank.

Is reporting it to the police likely to to any good?

Hi, I also purchased a DSLR camera off the archieelectronics.com.au website on Tuesday 7th of May and it now looks like I will not see the camera or my money. I have followed this up with my bank and lodged a report at www.scamwatch.gov.au. I also lodged a police report and spoke to someone from Ubank (NAB) and gave them the account details where I deposited the money. They said they would follow it up with the police. The account number where I deposited the money was: BSB: 082991, # 190671701. Could someone tell me if that was the same account for funds transfer for the techshopping.com.au and techdiscounts.com.au fraudulent websites? If so, and Ubank has kept the account open, even after reports of fraud, then they may be held responsible.

I purchased my iPad 4 through Archie Electronics and it had the same National Bank account BSB 082991 and account number 190671701. I rang the National Bank to tell them the account was being used by a fraudster and they were totally not interested. The banks seem not to care. If we can take some class action against the bank for giving fraudulent sites legitimacy then I would certainly be in it.

Hate to say it, but archieelectronics.com.au scammed me nicely (first time in my life ) - so much for the iPad 4 32g with retina display. Same BSB (082 991), same account number (190671701) Ubank (NAB), 'purchased' on 8 May and an email from 'Mary Granger' the next day to say payment hadn't arrived (maybe they were physhing for a second payment!).
But surely a bank can't knowingly allow the use of their facilities if there have been reports of fraudulent activity linked to that account? If there has been a precedent with techshopping.com.au and techdiscounts.com.au and the account is the same, it would have to constitute negligence. I was going to wait another day before contacting my bank (but paying via direct deposit - something I NEVER normally do - is as good as handing the chisellers the loot). I also held off contacting the police (have already printed out the emails), but was recommended to wait another day (maybe their server was having a bad day??).
If we have any legs left to stand on legally, I'll happily throw my supporting crutch in, but think it may be a case of bitten - and never again. Will keep watch here and report back with any developments from my bank or the fraud squad.

A few weeks ago I was scammed by an online website ...techshopping.com.au, selling cheap (but not dirt cheap) electronics.
An identical site appeared under the name: techdiscounts.com.au.

We really need to know if the bank account used in scamming you was the same as the one used in scamming us by archieelectronics.com.au (BSB 082 991, A/C 190671701). Can you verify?

Hi All, sorry I have been offline for a while.

The UBank (NAB) account used by TechShopping.com.au was BSB 082-991, account number 203919818, name apparently 'Tech Shopping - V. Misic.'

This is different to the Archie Electronics account number - 1906717101 (same BSB).

I phoned UBank on 10 May and explained I had been swindled by 'Tech Shopping' and that it appeared they were now trading under Archie Electronics. They would not even take my name. I insisted they record my complaint and they said they would report both the above account numbers to their 'Risk and Compliance' team. However, they said they cannot call me back with any updates or information.

The banks make it so easy for fraudsters to cheat people, and so difficult for people to recoup their money. I have absolutely no faith in them whatsoever that the culprits will be caught.

In the meantime my bank, CBA, has acknowledged in writing that I have lodged a 'trace and recover' complaint, however it may be 6-8 weeks (from around 20 April) before I receive a response.

The NSW Dept of Fair Trading replied in writing that they could not locate TechShopping after many attempts (big surprise). So that avenue is rather pointless.

There are several threads on these particular scammers on another useful website: http://www.whirlpool.net.au. I have not checked whether Archie Electronics is now trading under another name.

Lesson learnt: I will not buy anything online from websites such as these which do not accept Paypal, have suspect contact info, fake business numbers or are hosted offshore.

i bought a samsung galaxy note 2 on may 8, 2013 they told me the delivery is 1-5 days, and try to find there website and I cant find it anymore, I try to emailed them but the email keep on coming back, the account name is Archie electronics, account no. 190671701 and its National Australia bank.
I rung my bank and sadly theres no guaranty that I can have my money back....is there any option to have my money back.

i bought a samsung galaxy note 2 on may 8, 2013 they told me the delivery is 1-5 days, and try to find there website and I cant find it anymore, I try to emailed them but the email keep on coming back, the account name is Archie electronics, account no. 190671701 and its National Australia bank.
I rung my bank and sadly theres no guaranty that I can have my money back....is there any option to have my money back.

Your best bet is to lodge formal complaints with your bank, Dept of Fair Trading, Scamwatch, etc. At least then it is on record that you have been scammed and by whom. I read on the whirlpool forums that some ppl have received bank refunds recently, however I am still waiting.

Yesterday I posted a comment on UBank's Facebook page and they responded within a day. Suggest you do the same.

I rung the national bank and give them the account no, and she told me its doesn't exist...

Ubank is that the same as national australia bank?

I have noticed a worrying trend in the way that fraudsters are 'playing' the banking system worldwide, making use of it to perform fraud, and the natural reaction of banks is assisting them.

Banks would prefer not to get involved in disputes between their customers and clients which is understandable, but they do have a legal responsibility when they are put on notice that their facilities are being used for the purpose of performing fraud. Of course, I don't know the details in this case'/these cases but there is a clear problem when you've made a payment to one of their customers and the bank turn around and tell you they don't exist. The simple logic being that if they don't exist, how did they get your money and why wasn't it returned to you ?

You don't need to be a genius to work out what's happening and I don't want to spell it out in detail but, if it happens on a large scale, not only will banks dissolve in to chaos but trading in general will suffer as people lose faith in the system we all use to pay bills.

The banks have a duty to protect their customers' information but it can be useful as an anonymising service if you have evil intent. If there is evidence that their customer is operating their account using a 'cloaked' identity then it raises issues of money laundering. In the EU it was made law that all payments had to bear the name and address of the remitter, but if the remitter doesn't know the real name of who they're paying the money to, the system is rather a joke.

The issue needs to be addressed, not just for your specific problems, but to safeguard the integrity of the financial system because, when you don't know who you're paying your money to, you can no longer trust the payment system and the banks block you from obtaining recourse. Once the scammers find a flaw they can exploit, they will do so mercilessly, so the problem won't go away.

Ubank is that the same as national australia bank?

UBank is a subsidiary of NAB. If you're a customer of either, my guess is you would receive a better and quicker response.