by Gleemonex
Sat Jun 18, 2011 3:37 am
Hi there
Suspect I have stumbled across two fraudulent websites operating out of Australia. Searched your forums, but could not find any references to either site, so thought I would post some information and get some insight/clarification.
The site selling products is this one:
http://www.ecomdirect.com.au/
Whilst it doesn't have lots of bells and whistles, the prices are not ridiculously low, or at least for the products I was looking for. Terms of Use seemed reasonable enough, and they said they had a refund/return/exchance policy.
In hindsight, I should have been concerned about the promotion of the DCCC payment method whereby you accrue a $15 shipping voucher. As I only intended to use the site once, I simply did not care.
When going through the checkout, I tried to pay with paypal, but I recieved the following message:
"This recipient is currently unable to receive money." Should have stopped right there and then!
So, anyway, I was forced to use the DCCC (dotcomcashcard) payment method:
http://www.dotcomcashcard.com/
I registered, read the site info, again was concerned it didn't look too professional, but also understood that they were offering an option to people without credit cards to purchase items online using BPAY, so wasn't too concerned.
After registering, I noticed that straight away, the pending order with correct invoice number from ecomdirect is waiting, and that I have to move funds from my bank account via BPAY (BPAY code 959437) before it will be finalised. Things seemed to be going smoothly, they had the invoice information, and the BPAY code matched the name of the company.
After I paid through BPAY the next day, I checked the account and noticed that I had been double charged for the order (two line items were showing on my account details page with the same invoice number). I emailed the site, and asked that they correct the error. Within 30 minutes to an hour, both orders have been corrected back to a zero balance through an adjustment. However, I also noticed that the actual invoice on the ecomdirect site had now been cancelled. I did not recieve an email regarding these changes from either website.
The next morning I again logged into my DCCC account to check if the funds I had sent arrived. Nothing was showing. Again, I emailed the site, and advised them that funds should be showing. Within 30 minutes to an hour, a line item for the money I had sent is showing, though it failed to include the $1 DCCC apparently take off the top to use the service - I'd have preferred to see the total amount, and a line item for this amount. Also, there was a transfer back to ecomdirect for the amount owed.
At this point, I go back to ecomdirect, because funds have been forwarded for an invoice that has now been cancelled. I emailed them using the email address that they had used when they first emailed me regarding my purchase:
[email protected]
Surprise, surprise, but the email bounces back! And funnily enough, I could not find an email link on their website, except a silly feedback page. Should have checked this first!
With little other recourse, I checked the invoice that had been provided to me by ecomdirect. The ABN that is listed on the invoice is:
54 095 717 730
When I checked the ABN (http://www.abr.business.gov.au/), I am not surprised that it is actualy registered to DOT.COM.CASH CARD PTY. LTD., and it has been cancelled since January 2004.
I do a little more digging, and find that DOT.COM.CASH CARD PTY. LTD. is still actually a registered company in Australia through ASIC (ACN: 095717730), though the Organisation Extract and Historical Extract from the ASIC database indicates a very chequered history with the company ceasing and forming a total of six times since it was initially formed in 2001, with a status of "Stroke-Off Action in Progress" on 3 occassions.
I have since forwarded emails to DCCC since seeking clarification, but am expecting not to hear a thing.
Are there any other options open to me? And does this just shout "scam"!?
I'm happy to give them another week before I report them to relevant authorities in Australia (scamwatch.gov.au, and NSW Fair Trading), but figure there is nothing else I can do.
Suspect I have stumbled across two fraudulent websites operating out of Australia. Searched your forums, but could not find any references to either site, so thought I would post some information and get some insight/clarification.
The site selling products is this one:
http://www.ecomdirect.com.au/
Whilst it doesn't have lots of bells and whistles, the prices are not ridiculously low, or at least for the products I was looking for. Terms of Use seemed reasonable enough, and they said they had a refund/return/exchance policy.
In hindsight, I should have been concerned about the promotion of the DCCC payment method whereby you accrue a $15 shipping voucher. As I only intended to use the site once, I simply did not care.
When going through the checkout, I tried to pay with paypal, but I recieved the following message:
"This recipient is currently unable to receive money." Should have stopped right there and then!
So, anyway, I was forced to use the DCCC (dotcomcashcard) payment method:
http://www.dotcomcashcard.com/
I registered, read the site info, again was concerned it didn't look too professional, but also understood that they were offering an option to people without credit cards to purchase items online using BPAY, so wasn't too concerned.
After registering, I noticed that straight away, the pending order with correct invoice number from ecomdirect is waiting, and that I have to move funds from my bank account via BPAY (BPAY code 959437) before it will be finalised. Things seemed to be going smoothly, they had the invoice information, and the BPAY code matched the name of the company.
After I paid through BPAY the next day, I checked the account and noticed that I had been double charged for the order (two line items were showing on my account details page with the same invoice number). I emailed the site, and asked that they correct the error. Within 30 minutes to an hour, both orders have been corrected back to a zero balance through an adjustment. However, I also noticed that the actual invoice on the ecomdirect site had now been cancelled. I did not recieve an email regarding these changes from either website.
The next morning I again logged into my DCCC account to check if the funds I had sent arrived. Nothing was showing. Again, I emailed the site, and advised them that funds should be showing. Within 30 minutes to an hour, a line item for the money I had sent is showing, though it failed to include the $1 DCCC apparently take off the top to use the service - I'd have preferred to see the total amount, and a line item for this amount. Also, there was a transfer back to ecomdirect for the amount owed.
At this point, I go back to ecomdirect, because funds have been forwarded for an invoice that has now been cancelled. I emailed them using the email address that they had used when they first emailed me regarding my purchase:
[email protected]
Surprise, surprise, but the email bounces back! And funnily enough, I could not find an email link on their website, except a silly feedback page. Should have checked this first!
With little other recourse, I checked the invoice that had been provided to me by ecomdirect. The ABN that is listed on the invoice is:
54 095 717 730
When I checked the ABN (http://www.abr.business.gov.au/), I am not surprised that it is actualy registered to DOT.COM.CASH CARD PTY. LTD., and it has been cancelled since January 2004.
I do a little more digging, and find that DOT.COM.CASH CARD PTY. LTD. is still actually a registered company in Australia through ASIC (ACN: 095717730), though the Organisation Extract and Historical Extract from the ASIC database indicates a very chequered history with the company ceasing and forming a total of six times since it was initially formed in 2001, with a status of "Stroke-Off Action in Progress" on 3 occassions.
I have since forwarded emails to DCCC since seeking clarification, but am expecting not to hear a thing.
Are there any other options open to me? And does this just shout "scam"!?
I'm happy to give them another week before I report them to relevant authorities in Australia (scamwatch.gov.au, and NSW Fair Trading), but figure there is nothing else I can do.
