Bad news

Sadly, it’s about the mini excavator I ordered from China. Despite my best endeavours to avoid such a thing happening, it looks as though I’ve been scammed and I’ll not be seeing either the excavator or my money again. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks chasing the ‘supplier’, investigating their address and their bank account but without success.

I’ve alerted my bank, Credit Agricole, after contacting the bank of the party into which I transferred my money, J P Morgan in Luxembourg, who suggested that my bank commences a funds recovery procedure. I’m awaiting to hear what their findings are, but I doubt I’ll get my money back as these scammers don’t usually leave any loopholes that make that possible.

Two things mystify me. Firstly, how did a scammer manage to open up a J P Morgan international bank account? This is not like your High Street branch which you can go into with an electricity bill and a proof of ID and just open an account. It specialises in the wealth management of international clients. Secondly, how did a scammer manage to line up the excavator and the exact accessories I ordered on the factory floor and take a photograph?

I may find out the answer to the first question but I doubt I will to the second as the factory could be anywhere in China. I’ll report the matter to Aliexpress but I won’t get any support from them as the order was not placed strictly according to their system. However, the scammer must be removed from their system and prevented from scamming other clients, not that that will stop them from restarting under a different name.

I’ll be licking my wounds and having another go with delivery late this year or in the new year after I return from Australia, although this time placing the order rigidly according to the Aliexpress system so as to guarantee my money. I’ve been scammed before when I was in business and it’s a painful lesson to have to relearn 🙁