DHGATE.com??? [Archive] - Fraudwatchers

Nyla

11 June 2007, 06:52

DHgate.com is, more or less, an Ebay-like site with Chinese sellers. And just like Ebay, you stand rather a good chance of being scammed under certain circumstances.

A web search indicates there are complaints of non-delivery scams and fake goods offered by sellers on the site. This post, for example, mentions these problems.

http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index.php?qid=20061107195805AAIUGZF

Counterfeit goods can also be seized by customs and land you in legal trouble, depending on your local laws and your intent when ordering them.

Just like Ebay, you're only as protected as you make yourself, and the site is only as legitimate as the individual sellers are honest. Like most sites that offer to help you find sellers, the site accepts no real responsibility if the deal between you and the seller goes bad once you have okayed the payment to the seller. If you later find your MP3 players are clones or were hacked to look like they have more memory than they do, you're probably not going to get your complaint resolved.

Mind, it's also possible those who complained of being scammed were dealing "outside the system". Just as you would be on Ebay, be wary of anyone who wants you to work outside the framework of the site and pay them directly rather than paying DHgate and going through the approved escrow system. If you go outside the system, the site will accept NO responsiblity for the problem between you and the seller, just as Ebay won't help if you decide to engage in a purchase outside their auction system.

However, be aware that even in cases where you receive goods, there's a very high probability that ordering goods directly from China will mean getting counterfeit, copycat, hacked or refurbished items.

deepdiscounts

11 November 2007, 16:18

Yes thats right!...never break rules and bypass the official system. Remember to use only www.DHgate.com's escrow system as that protects your payment against bad supplies. And if the supplier is genuinely intersted in doing trade long term (thats the hallmark of serious businesses) he will never tell you to break trade rules...judge sellers by their rule following abilities...and trust tried and well researched rules on web...like escrow to buy cheap yet safe!

cclee

3 December 2007, 15:25

I find the site of dhgate.com hard to work my way around. For instance, once you have made an order, you pay direct to dhgate, but once you have, how do you inform them of mtcn code, or however you pay, where do you go from there???

I have made an order, dont know what step to take next, the help option is not really any help for this matter on the site, and its been 24 hours since i made the order, the only update i constantly receive is that i have not paid yet, even though i e-mail the service dpt asking them what step to take next, they still hav'nt responded.

Anyway, can anyone help me with this dead end?

riz007

6 December 2007, 12:21

hi please dont trust dhgate he is a 100% scamer he is the one who refer me to jimmywholesale.com both of them are scamer beware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

chuck

16 December 2007, 19:40

One of the biggest things DHGate harps on is their vaunted 'escrow' service. The claim they will protect you if you have a dispute with a seller.

Actually, the way it works is this. You order merchandise. The seller gives you a phony tracking number. You argue over the phony tracking number. You go to DHGate with a dispute. They give you the same phony tracking number. You start a dispute with PayPal. DHGate gives PayPal the phony tracking number, then starts to pressure you that they can protect you better if you would just drop the PayPal disupte. Then you get an email stating that DHGate has refunded your money, but PayPal has it frozen because you haven't dropped the dispute. In reality, no money is ever sent, you've just been screwed out of your money and left with no money, no goods and holding the bag for a bunch of thieves. Really pretty simple, actually. Lie, steal and stall. Great business model.

jZuH-2007

9 February 2008, 01:23

hi,

i stumbled across DH gate and i couldn't believe the prices. the thing is i was actually thinking about starting a business (as you would after looking at these prices):o. To be specific i was in search of ghd styling irons, they retail for around $250-$300 and they were being sold for $57 on DH gate. i wanted to ask for advice as i am new to this. I'm a little confused because some people say they've traded and are happy and some are saying they're scams:(. It's sad that the worlds come to this but i would just like some advice from people who know what they're talking about and have some experience with them. I'm asking my husband to invest in my so called 'business' but after reading the posts you guys have sent i'm not to sure *as technically it isn't MY money*

thanks in advance for your help guys.:thumbup: and keep up the good work

jZuH-2007

9 February 2008, 01:26

hello, also just wondering what is escrow?? is that like paypal?? and can anyone give me a good reputable "escrow" service provider??

thanks

John Fairheart

9 February 2008, 10:43

what is escrow?? ... and can anyone give me a good reputable "escrow" service provider??

Wikipedia => http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escrow
Genuine Company => http://www.escrow.com/
How it works => https://www.escrow.com/solutions/escrow/process.asp

Nyla

11 February 2008, 22:52

hI'm a little confused because some people say they've traded and are happy and some are saying they're scams

That would be because DHgate.com is not a single seller. DHgate is a collection of many, many sellers. It can be compared somewhat to Ebay or free classifieds or Craigslist. DHgate, like Ebay, brings sellers and buyers together and makes a cut on each transaction where the buyer pays the seller. Just as you can get scammed by a single seller on Ebay, you can be scammed by a single seller on DHgate.

Also, keep in mind that some people are quite content to get known counterfeit designer goods for their money and don't consider themselves scammed if they receive something. But not knowing your country's importation and resale laws and ordering what might be counterfeit goods is pretty much a recipe for disaster. Add in the high incidence of "non-delivery" fraud in China and you really need to do your research first. A good place to start is our Buying From China? article in the Information articles section to your right.

newman1000000000

1 March 2008, 17:42

i ve bought to items

extreme IV sandisk compact flash 16 gb and 8 gb

ive payed them

ive got them

BUT THEY ARE FAKE , JUST COPIES

dont buy hot brand name products there , its a ripp -off

John Fairheart

1 March 2008, 18:32

newman1000000000,

Read the post above yours and take in what Nyla has stated (twice now).

DHGate are NOT a scam, you have been ripped off by a seller USING dhgate's system, just as people get ripped off on eBay, Craigslist, Alibaba and the other few million trade and sales site on the internet.

Please share details of the people that ripped you off. Website links, email addresses, phone numbers, street addresses, what you bought, what they said you were buying etc etc. Information about the scammers is picked up by search engines and can help someone else avoid being ripped off.

Unregistered99

6 March 2008, 23:51

Here's a review of them here:
http://www.usfreeads.com/884917-cls.html

John Fairheart

7 March 2008, 00:12

That's not a review, it is an advertisement. However, the keypoint is as I have already stated...

DHGate: They are simply an online marketplace of buyers and sellers similar to ebay.

johnster

19 March 2008, 14:18

You can see a full review of DHGate here:

[link removed]

Hopefully this will show you that there are pros and cons of using DHGate.

Moderator note. Your ISP block is identical to that of the post made 2 above this one, with the same link. You also posted the same on an unrelated thread, now deleted. Please take note of my previous posting and refrain from posting this item again. Thank you.

Svw

26 March 2008, 12:15

Hi Everyone
Well i bought a GHD straightner from them and i got the real thing. I could also register the iron on the GHD website and it has the hologram on the iron that provides a gaurantee. I was prob one of the lucky people. I also received my goods within 2 weeks.

Seller: Succeed888

26 March 2008, 17:41

DON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS SELLER.....SUCCEED888 HE IS A SCAMMER. THIS SELLER STOLE $197.00 FROM ME. Please pass on the message to any forum about Dhgate seller : Succeed888. Thanks!

shera145

27 March 2008, 17:41

Can anyone tell me if they've order any bags and if they're authentic or knock offs? If so, and are authentic can you give provide the name of the seller? Thanks

Nyla

27 March 2008, 18:16

shera145, brand name goods are highly, highly unlikely to be authentic on the site. Coach would not allow manufacturers in China to sell direct and undercut their own prices, now would they? That would be bad business. If the bags were authentic, the factory and the sellers would be breaking the law and legal contracts with Coach. If they're selling counterfeits and not obviously labeling them as such, they're breaking the law. Even if they label them as counterfeits, they could still be breaking copyright laws. Any of those things could lead to your goods being seized by customs, if you're lucky enough to receive anything.

They myth of being able to buy ultra-cheap, genuine electronics or designer goods "direct" from China is just that, a myth. At best, you might get some decent knockoffs, but there's a very high risk you're going to get nothing at all or goods of very poor quality.

brentano2277

18 April 2008, 01:26

Be very careful, as once you have paid, you probably won't get any contact from the supplier. I bought a set of HID Xenon lights, which after I paid and gave positive feedback, turned out not to work. I have tried unsuccessfully to contact the DHGATE Admin team, and after numerous attempts at trying to contact the supplier have now given up. :(

tdes

23 April 2008, 08:39

I am surprised at how many people don't know the difference between authentic and licensed. if you are purchasing any brand name outside of an licensed distributor even if its "authentic" then its stolen. the factories that make authentic goods under license are ONLY licensed to MAKE, not to sell. selling is the right of the brand owner.

if they are selling them they are stealing them from the brand owner. nothing more. however, the incentive to steal is low in China. fakes are cheaper and easier to get.

DHGATE escrow does not protect you from getting fakes.

there is no such thing as cheap electronics in CHINA ! I live in China and I can tell you the cost is almost identical to what it is in the UK, Canada and the US. people get scammed because they thing China is the land of cheap electronics... it just aint so... sorry

also if you call China and there is a 1 after the 86 (china country code) then you are calling a mobile number that can be changed for 5 bucks... example 86 135 xxx xxxx the one after the 86 means its a mobile number. ALL mobile numbers in china begin with a 1

the new Alibaba "gold" scam goes like this ... a company like
Yiwu Haofeng Import & Export Co., Ltd. lists as a GOLD Alibaba supplier.

they list lots of products
when contacted you are told your order is too small
they refer you to their "distributor" that handles smaller amounts

www.Paypaltrade.com
www.Dhytrade.com

these guys steal your money
Alibaba claims Yiwu didn’t steal your money. they are "gold"

you are screwed... it works really well so far.

if you want products in china you can visit me

[Advertising External Site (Read Posts Below)]
www.taylordavis-consulting.com (http://www.taylordavis-consulting.com)

there is a contact page there. i can answer your questions about dealing in China.

:)

tdes

23 April 2008, 08:53

these scammers are aslo listed on tradekey as

dongguang xiangni apparel co ltd

Contact Person:
Mr. jingxuan zhen (Manager)

Company:
dongguang xiangni apparel co ltd

Address:
5#botou humen, dongguan, guangdong, China

Zip/Postal:
500362

Telephone:
86-020-34516780

Fax:
86-020-34516781

Mobile:
86-13570908204

FW Admin

23 April 2008, 09:55

tdes

23 April 2008, 10:08

Thanks for your input, tdes - your points are well made and hopefully taken note of.

By reading your post, I am assuming that you are offering initial advice for queries via your Contact Us form to be a free service to the visitors of this website; if this is the case then I am happy to keep your website link in your post.

Please note however that we do not condone using our forums for commercial advertising; free advice is, however, always welcome :)

Yes the offer is not for commercial use. but i can answer many questions about China and the scams. don't ask me to run down your money. its gone. but i can tell interested parties a little about things here that they may not be aware of... we consult to Chinese manufacturers so we do have a lot of potentially useful information we can share

arbed

28 April 2008, 03:42

I bought a Chanel purse from dhgate and i know it is not real even with the cards they sent with it but it is a really nice purse and i got it for 40.00 shipping and all and got it in the mail within 5 days.

newtree

28 April 2008, 04:45

I ordered goods from dhgate, but the item was "handed over to customs". What does that mean?

John Fairheart

28 April 2008, 13:45

I ordered goods from dhgate, but the item was "handed over to customs". What does that mean?

One would need to ask Customs to determine that. The message you need to worry about is "Confiscated By Customs".

screwed over

24 May 2008, 18:50

hey people i recently did business on DHgate, the site itself is really good BUT, the actual sellers are the ones you have to watch, if the products seems to good to be true it is!

beware the sellers are the ones that will send you, fake goods not dhgate!!

samdev

30 May 2008, 09:17

hey does anyone know anything about DHGATE.com. Whether or not its legit or not. It looks like a Chinese form of ebay, but just please let me know what you guys think or know about it
THanks
Nathan

Hey guys everywhere,

I think it's ok if you stop with any DHGate business as China Ebay, they have no customer protection from their bad seller, they always blame us as the wrong doer. I have buy from them 3 cell phones from them it's worth more expensive than it should but for me it's ok, but the bad attitude appear when I haven't found the stylus pen in one of their product and 1 of the battery is death.
When I complaint this case to the seller they are silent and when I contact the DHGate coordinator they blamed me that I was wrong.
Until now I haven't any resolve for this problem.
STOP WITH BUSINESS WITH DHGATE!!!

siebreaz

10 June 2008, 21:36

I am being scammed right now by Dhgate! That company aids their sellers in scamming buyers. I ordered from two sellers and did not get what I ordered and they offered nothing but their insufficient dispute process. My money is gone and I am without the right goods!!

camyro

18 June 2008, 07:24

to the people who buy from dhgate thinking they get the real thing...they are all replicas of course! if you want a replica cuz you can't afford the real deal and want to take the risk this is the place to go. do not expect any real stuff here. I know people who bought items in there and they were very pleased with it. e.g louis vuitton purses that looked exactly like the ones in the store. but it's hit and miss. just don't expect any real stuf and get upset about it.

j2121ls

1 July 2008, 19:52

You have to watch what you buy if its to good to be true it is. But i have bought smaller items such as ipod and cell phone acc and got them. You do get real tracking numbers I say buy from sellers with good trust scores ask lots of question and order small.

bksmith

7 July 2008, 22:16

DHgate. Do not use these people!!!! I ordered 10 apple iPODS. Got them and they were all fake. They all had the same Serial number and you couldn't use them. Plus they weren't even Apples. They had an icon of the apple, but they weren't. They are still sitting in my garage. I listed a complaint with DHgate. And they did NOTHING!!! The guy is still selling on there. DHgate pretended they didn't know what an iPOD was and sent the money to the seller. I was out a lot of money. I even tried to send the things back to the seller. No such address. It came back to me. Credit card companies can't do anything either. And don't expect PayPal to help out. I even wrote to Apple itself and no response. Since you received a product you have to pay for it. They don't care about fakes. And try to call DHgate. They speak hardly any English.

So. The final word. BEWARE!!! Stay away!!!!

monkeyboybanana

9 July 2008, 13:08

I've used DHGate and had good and bad experiences. Use paypal to pay then yo can take it up with them if anything is not right. DHGate usually cooporate better when told a dispute with paypal will take place.

Try http://www.dsmarketwholesale.co.uk/ the amount of items they market varies every week. Mostly selling in batches of 10 or so. Sometimes they only have a few items on there, but they are pretty good and use paypal too.

poirot

9 July 2008, 13:58

Try http://www.dsmarketwholesale.co.uk/ the amount of items they market varies every week. Mostly selling in batches of 10 or so. Sometimes they only have a few items on there, but they are pretty good and use paypal too.

This is amazing considering dsmarketwholesale.co.uk was registered only 5 days ago with a bare minimum of details, vague, incomplete or fake address and no phone number:
Domain name:
dsmarketwholesale.co.uk
Registrant:
Dominic Shone
Registrant type:
Unknown
Registrant's address:
Stafford Lodge North
Sandon
Staffordshire
ST18 0DL
GB
Registrar:
One.com A/S t/a One.com A/S [Tag = TJNF-DK]
URL: http://www.one.com
Relevant dates:
Registered on: 04-Jul-2008
Renewal date: 04-Jul-2010
Registration status:
Registration request being processed.
Name servers:
ns1.b-one.nu
ns2.b-one.nu
ns3.b-one.nu
WHOIS lookup made at 13:41:40 09-Jul-2008

The site has no address or phone number either, just a contact form and a domain email address.

5 days old and already spamming forums.

I'd say that extreme care should be taken when dealing with dsmarketwholesale.co.uk

who_the

11 July 2008, 13:13

DHgate. Do not use these people!!!! I ordered 10 apple iPODS. Got them and they were all fake. Folks, if you take any sort of serious look at the merchandise at DHGate, it's obvious that the name brand items on that site are replica knockoffs. For instance, the "iPod Nano 4Gs" on DHGate claim to play WMA files and have an internal speaker -- both obviously off-spec from the original.

There are no shortcuts, people. Pay less, get less. Know less, lose more. If you're going to deal in merchandise, you should know your product well enough to know if what you're buying isn't legit. Yes, we all want to "believe." But be skeptical, don't ignore red flags, and learn from small lessons like this.

As for the phony merchandise, cut your losses. Give them away or donate them, fully disclosing their replica status. Even though they're not genuine, most of the DHGate products do, in some way, meet their stated specifications.

BIG4

13 July 2008, 07:02

I bought from a seller on there and there are American Based seller on there as well but I bought some purses know they were fake but they were gag gifts for the crew. I paid, they came and was surprise they came...lol just as described. That was over 6 months ago and my friends still have the purses. But I would not recommend buying anything from them because there is plenty of distributors in the states. Me and my wife use them all the time. Just have to do your home work

Big4

cossie

24 July 2008, 07:28

dhgate victim

31 July 2008, 10:59

james2008

4 August 2008, 16:21

I was scammed by dhgate. The old saying too good to be true. We dhgate is not true. I did not know there items were fake now my good selling reputation is messed up because of them. I have ask for money back on items. They either don't reply or they say send item back we give you refund. My worry now if I send it back will they tell me it got lost or damaged in mail. And I am really scammed

You were not scammed by DHgate. The website is just a forum to help you meet wholesalers in China. They are not responsible for the merchandise you decide to buy. This is between you and the seller. You need to investigate your seller before you buy, and you need to inspect your items before you pass them on to your customers, and before you approve the transaction. If you are using DHgate escrow, you will get your refund. But of course you have to send the items back. I always receive my refund from DHgate if I am unsatisfied with the merchandise.

physcokiller

4 August 2008, 21:37

Has anyone purchaed a motorbike from DHgate the prices seem to good to be true there are two main sellers

Does anyone know if the bikes are real or fake or is it all just a scam

Nyla

5 August 2008, 18:20

Some rules of thumb.

Buying a big ticket item like a motorbike online is pretty much an invitation to being scammed. You're buying something that's bulky, hard to ship, expensive and an item that most buyers would want to see and test in person before buying.

If the prices seem too good to be possible, they generally are.

Asking "has anyone bought a motorbike from DHGate" is more or less equivalent to asking if anyone has ever bought one on Ebay. DHGate is not a single seller, and you would need to name the seller in question before anyone can comment on them.

physcokiller

6 August 2008, 21:00

Nyla

6 August 2008, 21:27

my question is do customes open all packages will i be hit with import tax or duty

You need to know the law before you start importing, or you're eventually going to run afoul of it or end up paying a lot more for goods than you have budgeted.

I would suggest educating yourself through the government agency that actually handles this.

www.hmrc.gov.uk

i here u can ask the seller to right gift on the box the get around paying duty and vat in the uk

Gifts seem to be defined as something for which you do not have to pay for in kind. Ordered goods do not fit that definition.

First of all, it's unlikely the customs officials will buy that it's a gift, especially if it has a business name as the shipper. Second, if they determine you're deliberately trying to skirt paying duties on goods, you stand a good chance of having to pay the duties plus penalties, and possible legal problems.

Customs opens enough packages that you would almost certainly be caught sooner or later if you make multiple orders. And pleading "I didn't know" won't work.

From a rather good reply on Ebay forums.

If your Item is inspected by UK customs expect to pay Import Duty and VAT on top of the value. (Purchase price plus postage).

Very approximately it works out at ABOUT 30% on top of the purchase price plus postage.

To calculate the actual rate of Import duty on specific items see the links below or check with HMRC Taric Classification Helpline on 01702 366077 .

Total to be paid will be = ( Item cost + postage) x (Import Duty Rate %) x (17.5% VAT).

If the item is delivered via Royal Mail equivalent (e.g from the USA it will be USPS) then it may bypass UK Customs without inspection.

If the item is being delivered via Carrier (e.g. DHL ,FEDEX,UPS = also acting as your agent /broker ) then you'll find that the Carrier will present to HMRC for inspection and the appropriate Import Duty duty and VAT charged. If revenue is due on an item your agent will contact you directly for outstanding Duties and Taxes plus their brokerage charge .

Always think that you'll incur charges and allow for Import Duty and VAT in your costings , then if your item bypasses UK Customs without Inspection you're that much better off :)

Duty is not payable on items below £18 in value (merchandise) or £36 in value (gift) (purchase price plus postage)

Information links regarding Customs ,Import Duty and VAT

http://www.sloanefox.freeserve.co.uk/importukduty.htm

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageVAT_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000014&propertyType=document#P66_5558

TARIC classification and Taxation Home Page

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds/en/tarhome.htm

The above is at http://forums.ebay.co.uk/thread.jspa?threadID=1100051646&tstart=0&mod=1165733783703

Cary

18 August 2008, 05:50

I am looking at purchasing GHD straightners from DHgate as i have herd good reviews about this product being successfully ordered from DHGate even now its all done to the seller

my question is do customes open all packages will i be hit with import tax or duty i here u can ask the seller to right gift on the box the get around paying duty and vat in the uk

Also - Make sure you check out the seller before you buy on DHgate.com. This is the key to happiness. As said before, there are a bunch of different sellers on the site. You need to know who you are buying from. The site is set up to help you with this decision. Go here:

http://www.dhgate.com/html/helpfile_en/help-68.htm

glousa

22 August 2008, 16:48

i recently purchased a "coach" purse from a seller on dhgate. I received the purse in 5 days and dhgate apparently held my money until i notified them that the purse was received and was what i expected. It had allthe "coach" papers and markings, but i'm sure it's not the real thing.... cant buy a real coach anywhere for 20 usd i'm sure!! but my teenaged daughter wanted a "coach" and she was thrilled with the one that we got. it was bigger than i anticipated. so my first experience was a good one and when i order more for other family members, i'm sure they will be happy too.

newtothis

27 August 2008, 13:31

if anyone is planning on buying a ghd from dhgate don't as i did and my friend did also and both stopped working after a few weeks, they look exactly the same as the real thing, but couldn't be real if they just stop working, you've been warned!

ali88

29 August 2008, 05:11

That's not a review, it is an advertisement. However, the keypoint is as I have already stated...

yes, i agree, but as ebay or dhgate, their role should be more reliable. firstly, why they let those scammer access to their system? if they are very strict in the first step, then we will have less scammers in the dhgate, anyway, maybe this is not an easy way to identify?

Nyla

3 September 2008, 16:56

There's really not an economical way to weed out scammers. Both DHGate and Ebay rely on users to report scammers and rate sellers to weed out the bad ones. In other words, users/buyers do most of the work.

If DHGate or Ebay were to take on "verifying the reliability of the seller" as their own responsibility, they would need to dedicate vast amounts of human resources, and consequently, money, to these measures. Which means they would start charging more money for buyers and sellers to have access to their services. It would also make it an extremely difficult and lengthy process to allow new sellers access to the service.

It's possible, perhaps, to weed out more scammers, but not really practical, without adding a large amount of overhead to operating costs.