AliExpress Scams and How to Beat Them!

AliExpress is the retail arm of the eCommerce giant, Alibaba. It’s a subsidiary that caters for business-to-client or B2C needs of the market. In 2010, AliExpress grew to surpass Walmart in the US to become the world’s largest retail store dealer. It strictly sells Chinese products to the world and does not sell within China.

Common AliExpress Scams

PayPal Scam

Say you have an issue with goods delivered from AliExpress. You open a dispute with the seller on the platform. They promise to refund you fully using PayPal but request you to first close the dispute. You agree to their request, having not yet received the funds.

When you receive the cash, the seller waits for the 15-day buyer protection period on AliExpress to expire. The scam seller then asks for a chargeback from PayPal and claims non-delivery of goods as the reason. In this transaction, PayPal regards you as a seller who received cash and didn’t deliver the goods. The scammers get their chargeback.

What happened? The seller opened a dispute against you on PayPal and got their refund! By the time you realize this, the buyer protection period has expired on AliExpress and you can’t open a dispute against them. You’ve lost your money through a clever scam.

Never close a dispute at a seller’s request and never accept a PayPal refund. Let AliExpress resolve and close the dispute.

Fake Tracking Number

You buy an item on a really good deal and the seller gives you a tracking number. Soon the tracking information shows that your package got delivered even though you didn’t get it. The package was delivered to a different location and you’ll have proof on your side. Quite often, the tracking system simply shows that goods were delivered. In which case you have no recourse. You lose money.

The scam seller gave you a tracking number for another shipment that was delivered to another client. To avoid this scam, choose experienced sellers with over 3 years under their belt.

Increasing the Price After You Place an Order

Some sellers on AliExpress try to trick their buyers by indicating low prices on their product listings. Then, when a prospective buyer places an order, they make up reasons to justify a higher price. These could be anything but the most common is an increase in the price of raw materials.

Some receive the order with the price you agreed and try to scam you on shipping costs. They say they cannot ship at the previously stated price for one reason or another.  

Insist on the price listed on AliExpress and walk away if the seller persists with the higher price. Consider cancelling the order from such a seller because it is a show of bad faith. Look for another seller who will deal with you fairly.

Hacker Email Correspondence

Some AliExpress accounts are compromised and their real owners do not know! Hackers have access to their email accounts where they communicate with AliExpress clients. Whenever they get an email, the hackers see and rush to notify the client before the real seller.

Clients have reported cases to AliExpress where they are asked to send payment to another account. The hacker can only get the seller’s money if it is paid to another account. But all clients who blindly followed this and paid, were shocked to be asked whether they sent the money in the first place!

Always make payments to the officially stated accounts that are on AliExpress database. Reject all suggestions to send to another account. In case of loss, AliExpress cannot help you.

 Cancelling the Order After Shipping the Goods

Cancelling a shipped order at the seller’s word is always a bad idea. They could have sent you bad quality products. Cancelling an already shipped order on AliExpress is accepting to take whatever comes. Never do it.

Also, once you have cancelled a shipped order, you cannot open a dispute on it in case of any issue. Scam sellers are banking on this.

Never cancel a shipped order that you have not received and verified, simply because the seller asks. It leaves you without options.

Dubious Sales Agents

Some big sellers have authorized several sales agents to work for them who offer you a discount if you send the payment to a personal account. Which is their own or one set up for such fraudulent activities. They make suggestions to ignore the seller’s business bank account.

DO NOT fall for that. Clients who have done this have failed to get the goods and lost their money. Report all such activities to AliExpress. It is against the system set in place. Also, contact the parent company directly and report it.

Rejection of Trade Assurance When You Order

Sellers do not always have to use trade assurance on AliExpress. It is a buyer protection service paid for by sellers but intended to safeguard buyers and boost their confidence in using AliExpress. It primarily protects buyers from fraudulent sellers.

Cunning sellers show in their profile that they use trade assurance. But refuse to use it citing high charges when you want to place an order. It is a show of bad faith for a seller to agree to it at the start then reject it when finalizing the deal. The only guarantee you have for getting your money back, in case of any issue, is when trade assurance is used by the seller on your order.

DO NOT go through with making an order from any seller who rejects trade assurance on AliExpress. They may be up to no good.

Cutting Communication After You Pay

Scam sellers remain responsive as long as you express interest in their product listing on AliExpress. But the minute you make the payment, they cut all communication with you. No reasons, no excuses, just a total blackout.

It’s been found that these are young businesses that have become unprofitable but still maintain active accounts on AliExpress.

Report to AliExpress immediately this happens. You may have a small window to recover your money. Buy from sellers with years in the business.

Do not engage with sellers who have been active for less than 3 years.

Pay using PayPal ad make sure TradeAssurance applies to your order. This way you can get your money back.

Poor Quality Goods

Great quality samples do not always result in great quality in the final shipment. Scam sellers send good quality samples that look just like they advertised. Then, when you pay for the actual shipment, you get inferior quality.

Make sure every aspect of your order that touches on the quality is clearly written down. That way, when you claim your refund, the terms are seen to have been well stated from the start. If not, the seller can claim it is a small difference that does not affect the working of the product and get away with it! You could hire a certified inspector to check the goods before they are sold.

Fake Compliance Certifications

Sellers are required to have some mandatory certifications in order to trade, such as RohS, CE and FDA. Scam sellers have fake photoshopped certifications and will send you totally fake copies. Or, they will avoid sending you their scanned certificate copies by asking that you go on and place your order while those are prepared. DO NOT fall for this. Wait till you have verified them before you order.

You could end up paying fines at delivery of your shipment or it could get blocked at customs before leaving China. Both options leave you in a bind!

Navigate this by hiring a certified inspection company in China before you place your order.

Gold Rated Sellers with Fake Products

It can be surprising to get poor quality goods from a highly rated Gold Supplier on AliExpress. But this does happen. How? A seller with a good reputation who is leaving AliExpress sells their account to another prospective seller. The new seller is a scammer with cheap, bad quality products but maintains the name and listings of the previous seller.

Any buyer will look at the reputation that’s over 3 years, Gold Rated supplier and believe it, only to order and receive fake goods. Your only recourse in this case is to apply for a full refund.

Unwarranted Product Changes

The seller sends products that have a very small difference to the product you ordered. Like slightly different shade of colour, mild texture versus smooth and the like.

Unless you made every effort to list all the fine details of the product in your order, you will have no choice on this one. If you complain to AliExpress the seller will simply say the products are similar and won’t affect normal use!

Be detail-oriented where the details of your order matter. Write down all the minute aspects of the product that are non-negotiable for you. And make sure you use Trade Assurance.

How to Avoid AliExpress Scams

It is generally safe to shop on AliExpress, but your vigilance and caution can be the difference between being scammed and saving your money. Here are some safety tips:

• Select sellers with 3 years or more on AliExpress. A good business track record is evident when a seller has been around for a while. So is a bad one.
• Engage multiple sellers at a go to find the best one faster. Gauge a seller’s response rate and terms of business when you make inquiries.
• Always use Trade Assurance. It is a buyer protection system made for you. Let it work to your advantage.
• Check seller guarantees on offer for the goods you want. Sellers give some guarantees on some of their products like on-time delivery, returns and refund, guaranteed genuine products.
• Check the AliExpress FAQ on how to select reliable sellers.
• Hire a certified inspection company whenever you have doubts about a seller you want to buy from.
• Avoid direct money transfers to the seller’s business account. AliExpress offers you buyer protection as long as they remain the intermediary. There is no protection for money sent directly to the seller.
• Never confirm delivery at a client’s request, when you have not actually received it. If the order arrives with problems like poor quality, then you may be stuck with it.

Getting Support for an AliExpress Scam

Contact AliExpress support in case of any issue.