Victim of fraud. Missold designer handbags turned out to be counterfeit.

[Pumpk1n]

2 seperate sellers.
Do I have any recourse of action in this case?
I paid via Paypal friends and family for both purchases. The money was taken by Paypal from my bank account. Seller sold the item to me as authentic, items arrived and turn out to be replicas. One seller is telling me she no longer has the money in her account and her family has recently been made homeless. She told me her husband purchased it when he was on business in Hong Kong and it is authentic. (I know its not from the markings, stamping, stitching, even the smell)
The other seller wont repsond to emails, msgs or calls.

[Amethyst]

Where did you purchase the items from ? Copies of adverts etc ?

Paying through the F&F bit on paypal really gives you zero protection, you may as well have given them cash IMO.

[Pumpk1n]

Where did you purchase the items from ? Copies of adverts etc ?

Paying through the F&F bit on paypal really gives you zero protection, you may as well have given them cash IMO.

One was on Gumtree, the other was initially on Ebay and the seller had agreed to sell for less if direct as no commissions. So I have zero recourse? I have the msgs back and forth from the sellers. Even if I had given them cash and didnt have this written evidence, I think would be even less backup but I have the physical msgs in my whatsapp from both sellers stating both items are authentic. One of the sellers even paired the bag with an authentic store receipt. Its clear fraud and deception. Paypal I know cannot help me. It is a total injustice if there is zero recourse for me.

[Amethyst]

Letter before action and small claims court is likely to be the path to take.

Have you returned the items ?

Both sellers were private individuals presumably?

[Pumpk1n]

Letter before action and small claims court is likely to be the path to take.

Have you returned the items ?

Both sellers were private individuals presumably?

Thank you for your advice. No I cannot return the items as one seller is saying she believed her husband that the bag is authentic, her family have recently been made homeless, and she doesnt have the money in her bank anymore to return to me. The other seller wont respond to me anywhere.
Both sellers are private individuals as far as I know although the paypal payment to one seller gives "business information" and an email address of xxxxxxxxxxxxx and an out of order tel no xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Amethyst]

Presumably you've done the research on the sellers so have addresses etc ? Formal complaint, request to return the goods for a full refund and then a letter before action - you'll need copies of the advert, photos of the goods and possibly later an expert report on the goods being fake - mostly in these cases it is unlikely they will suddenly refund you on receipt of a court claim though so it comes down to reporting and trying to prevent others being taken in. https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/fr...nterfeit_goods

[Pumpk1n]

Presumably you've done the research on the sellers so have addresses etc ? Formal complaint, request to return the goods for a full refund and then a letter before action - you'll need copies of the advert, photos of the goods and possibly later an expert report on the goods being fake - mostly in these cases it is unlikely they will suddenly refund you on receipt of a court claim though so it comes down to reporting and trying to prevent others being taken in. https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/fr...nterfeit_goods

Thank you again. How did you connect the email address to the store above? Before I consider calling them. I done a search of the email address which showed nothing. Is this store in Greenwich by any chance, this is wheer the item was sent from.

[Amethyst]

The phone number is a Wolverhampton number - which if you google it ( with the 01902 rather than +44 1902) gives you a name and address - if you look up the name on FB that image is used as a profile picture on an account for someone in Wolverhampton, which appears to link it back to the email address. It's circumstantial of course and could be someone unrelated to that person who just used that number and email address ( as its not a website domain address just a gmail ) to mislead. ( I have taken off the email address and number from your post now mind ) That pic is from 2005 so I doubt the numbers are live.

Also that address in Greenwich ( also removed) is a Post Office