Contact the seller, dispute with the payment provider, then report to the FTC and the platform.
You paid a website for a bag, nothing arrived and the seller has stopped answering. You want to know who to contact and in what order.
Contact the seller first, then the company you used to pay, then report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the platform where you found the seller. This is the order the FTC suggests for problems with online shopping.
Step by step
- Contact the seller in writing, with the order number and the date, and give a deadline for a reply.
- Contact the payment provider. For a card, ask about disputing the charge. For a payment service, report the problem through its own system.
- Report the seller to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or by phone on 1-877-FTC-HELP.
- Report the seller to the website, marketplace or social media platform where you found it.
- The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency also lists the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) as a place to report internet-related crimes.
What to have ready
- The seller’s name, website and any contact details.
- The order confirmation and the date.
- Your payment record.
- Screenshots of the listing and any messages.
What not to do
Do not pay a second time to “release” your order. Do not send more personal information. Do not accept an offer to recover your money for a fee from someone who contacted you.
Where this answer stops
This is general information for US consumers. Reporting does not guarantee that you will get money back. Contacts differ in other countries, where a national consumer authority or a payment network may be the right place. This is not legal advice.
Sources and further reading
Three more perspectives
Before you spend on a bag from an unfamiliar site, search for the seller name with words such as “review”, “complaint” or “scam”. It takes a minute, and the FTC suggests it for any seller you do not know.
If you gave card details to a site you now distrust, ask your card issuer about replacing the card, and watch your statements for small unfamiliar charges. Change passwords if you used the same login on the site.
Be wary of anyone who contacts you offering to recover your money for a fee. Recovery scams target people who have already been caught once. Use only the official channels you found yourself.
Independent and unofficial. berabags is an independent editorial site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any bag brand, retailer, airline or agency named on this page. This page contains no affiliate links; if berabags adds any in future they will be labelled. Rules and policies change, so check the linked source before you act. This is general information, not legal, medical or professional advice.
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