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| Knitted cardigan scam leaves woman 'gobsmacked' | Knitted cardigan scam leaves woman 'gobsmacked' |
| (5 days later) | |
| The advert, left, showed a knitted cardigan but the items received were just printed sweatshirt material | The advert, left, showed a knitted cardigan but the items received were just printed sweatshirt material |
| A woman says she was "gobsmacked" after ordering two knitted cardigans and receiving items that did not look like their online advert. | A woman says she was "gobsmacked" after ordering two knitted cardigans and receiving items that did not look like their online advert. |
| Elfie Waren from Berwick-upon-Tweed paid £62 for two "fluffy" cardigans with a “beautiful floral pattern” from what she believed was a London-based shop. | Elfie Waren from Berwick-upon-Tweed paid £62 for two "fluffy" cardigans with a “beautiful floral pattern” from what she believed was a London-based shop. |
| However, instead of the knitwear she expected, two polyester sweatshirts with printed photos of the knitted cardigans arrived. | However, instead of the knitwear she expected, two polyester sweatshirts with printed photos of the knitted cardigans arrived. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme, Ms Waren said her eye had been caught by the cardigans when she was scrolling through her social media. | Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme, Ms Waren said her eye had been caught by the cardigans when she was scrolling through her social media. |
| "I don’t normally buy any clothes online so it was most unlike me to actually think something was pretty enough to order," she said. | "I don’t normally buy any clothes online so it was most unlike me to actually think something was pretty enough to order," she said. |
| "The cardigan looked really brightly coloured, it had a sort of beautiful floral pattern in various colours." | "The cardigan looked really brightly coloured, it had a sort of beautiful floral pattern in various colours." |
| Elfie Waren said she does not normally buy clothes online | Elfie Waren said she does not normally buy clothes online |
| The garment appeared to have been knitted, Ms Warren said – describing it as "kind of fluffy" on the photo – so she placed an order for two. | The garment appeared to have been knitted, Ms Warren said – describing it as "kind of fluffy" on the photo – so she placed an order for two. |
| The website, called Milena-London.com, was offering what it said was a 50% sale. | The website, called Milena-London.com, was offering what it said was a 50% sale. |
| "I opened the package and discovered what was inside were sweater cardigans made of some kind of polyester material - definitely not knitted," she said. | "I opened the package and discovered what was inside were sweater cardigans made of some kind of polyester material - definitely not knitted," she said. |
| "It was actually a printed picture of knitting on a polyester fabric." | "It was actually a printed picture of knitting on a polyester fabric." |
| The pattern was not very good, fading at the edge and not continuing to the bottom of the garment, she added. | The pattern was not very good, fading at the edge and not continuing to the bottom of the garment, she added. |
| "I was gobsmacked," Ms Waren said. "I tried one of the cardigans on and thought 'that looks horrible – no-one’s ever going to believe that looks like a knitted garment'." | "I was gobsmacked," Ms Waren said. "I tried one of the cardigans on and thought 'that looks horrible – no-one’s ever going to believe that looks like a knitted garment'." |
| Elfie Waren said the pattern on the sweatshirts looked nothing like knitting | Elfie Waren said the pattern on the sweatshirts looked nothing like knitting |
| Dropshipping is a legitimate business model where sellers list products on a website without actually holding the stock and, when they receive an order, they buy the product from a third party seller, who ships it straight to the customer. | Dropshipping is a legitimate business model where sellers list products on a website without actually holding the stock and, when they receive an order, they buy the product from a third party seller, who ships it straight to the customer. |
| But, in some cases, the model can be exploited by scammers. | But, in some cases, the model can be exploited by scammers. |
| Rather than not sending anything at all, they send items in the hope it will prevent people complaining to their bank and the police. | Rather than not sending anything at all, they send items in the hope it will prevent people complaining to their bank and the police. |
| There can be a vast difference in quality and value between the item advertised and the one that eventually ends up with the customer. | There can be a vast difference in quality and value between the item advertised and the one that eventually ends up with the customer. |
| Reviews warning | Reviews warning |
| The website for Milena-London.com was registered in May and appears to have been taken down. BBC emails to the site went unanswered. | The website for Milena-London.com was registered in May and appears to have been taken down. BBC emails to the site went unanswered. |
| But the same cardigan has been advertised on dozens of very similar sites, all apparently at heavily reduced prices. | But the same cardigan has been advertised on dozens of very similar sites, all apparently at heavily reduced prices. |
| On these sites there are what claim to be hundreds of positive reviews, alongside the Trustpilot logo. | On these sites there are what claim to be hundreds of positive reviews, alongside the Trustpilot logo. |
| But on the review company's own site, where comments about these websites are overwhelmingly negative, Trustpilot carries warnings that its brand is being used in a misleading way. | But on the review company's own site, where comments about these websites are overwhelmingly negative, Trustpilot carries warnings that its brand is being used in a misleading way. |
| Ms Waren returned her items to the Chinese address the site gave her – paying another £21 in postage. The package has been stuck in Chinese customs for six weeks. | Ms Waren returned her items to the Chinese address the site gave her – paying another £21 in postage. The package has been stuck in Chinese customs for six weeks. |
| After contacting You and Yours, she has received a full refund from PayPal, which she used to make the purchase, under its "buyer protection policy". | After contacting You and Yours, she has received a full refund from PayPal, which she used to make the purchase, under its "buyer protection policy". |
| Follow BBC North East on X, external, Facebook, external, Nextdoor and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC North East on X, external, Facebook, external, Nextdoor and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. |