A mother and hundreds of other victims lost 30,000 euros on a fake sales site, Stockwan.
On the Internet, there are more and more e-commerce sites displaying discounted prices (like Temu). These sites should be visited with caution, in particular because of the dangerous products that they can sometimes put on sale.
But there are worse things than Temu, Shein and other AliExpress. Fake sites that sell… wind. Attracted by an attractive offer on an unknown site, Stockwan, a mother ordered a television for 249 euros. Unfortunately, the product never arrived and his money seems lost forever. His story is not unique. More than 300 people suffered the same fate, with total damage estimated at 30,000 euros.
Ghost delivery and non-existent customer service
She thought she was getting a good deal by taking advantage of Black Friday to replace her broken television. This mother ordered a model on the Stockwan site, attracted by the low prices and serious appearance of the site. The payment goes smoothly and she receives a confirmation email. She is also deducted from the amount the next day, which reassures her, thinking that the delivery is then in progress.
However, the days go by and the famous package does not arrive.
Worried, she tried to contact customer service by telephone and email, to no avail. Messages go unanswered and the phone number goes to an autoresponder. Waiting turns into frustration.
After a month of patience and radio silence from Stockwan, the young woman finally received a response by email. We then explained to him that the announced time of 24 to 48 hours actually corresponded to the order processing time and that, for delivery from China, it would take six weeks.
Realizing that she would never see her television set in her living room, she requested the cancellation of her order and a refund of her money. But to this day, she has still not received any news from Stockwan.
Despite her calls to the bank, her bank card insurance and her insurance, the mother was unable to obtain a refund. They do not consider the incident to be fraud.
A collective of 300 victims on Facebook and a site still online
By doing research on possible victims in the same situation as her, she ended up coming across a Facebook group, “ a collective of victims from Stockwan “. Reading the comments, she realizes that other people have experienced the same misfortune as her: they all received identical emails. This collective has 300 victims who were scammed between November 2023 and March 2024, for a total loss of 30,000 euros. All these individuals had placed orders on the site to purchase bedding, furniture, and even jacuzzis. The biggest loss amounts to around 900 euros. Sandrine explains: “ For me, 250 euros is a considerable amount. I do odd jobs alongside my job to get by.”
Like the other members of the collective, she decided to file a complaint against the site and its founder, whose identity was found thanks to the help of the other victims. Currently, a collective complaint filing is underway with ADC France (a consumer defense association). Sandrine is not yet part of it, but she plans to join by paying the required 40 euros next month.
Despite her doubts about a possible reimbursement, Sandrine strives to warn other possible victims. Although the founder’s company was deregistered in March 2024, the Stockwan site is still online and continues to offer bedding items. A mishap that unfortunately often happens on the Internet.
Clubic recommends that you exercise the greatest caution when deciding to make your online purchases. First of all, check the reliability of the website: avoid sites with a dubious reputation. Before purchasing, check the legal notices, the site address, and search online for possible scam reports associated with the site name. Also make sure that the site is secure (URL starting with https:// and with a closed padlock).
And above all, be vigilant against phishing attacks: be wary of newsletters and incentive emails. Some may seek to extort your personal or banking details.
Source : Capital
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