Scammed by a shopify store that was removed

Payments + Shipping & Fulfilment

Topic summary

Customer reports being scammed by a Shopify-hosted store that impersonated Cambridge Audio USA, resulting in a paid order without shipment or tracking. The store was later taken down after the real brand confirmed impersonation.

  • Payment used: a buy-now-pay-later “pay in four” service. Bank initially refunded one installment but directed the customer to the merchant thereafter. The installment provider temporarily put the account on hold, then lifted it; most installments have been paid and the final is due soon.
  • Key hurdle: the installment provider requires proof of contacting the merchant. The only contact was via the store’s site messaging, which is now offline, so the customer lacks screenshots. Illness delayed responses, complicating the dispute.

Shopify staff guidance:

  • Dispute the charges directly with the installment provider (e.g., Affirm if using Shop Pay Installments), with links provided for dispute steps and an online order FAQ.
  • Reply to the original order confirmation email as evidence of outreach and note the website’s removal as the reason no further contact proof is available.

Status: No confirmed refund; customer seeking resolution. Discussion remains open.

Summarized with AI on December 24. AI used: gpt-5.
1

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,

I do not have a store, but I shopped at a store within the Shopify realm. Im not sure if this is the right message board or not. But I really need help. I’ve been sick with pneumonia and in and out of the hospital so it has been very difficult to accomplish what I need to in regards to this problem. Please bear with me. On June 1, 2024, I signed up for Shopify and made a purchase with a store called “*********”. It was a very nice and legitmate website. About 5 days after the purchase, I had only received the confirmation email/receipt for Order #1001 for $204.00 approximately for a pair of earphones. I saw there was a way to text the company if I had any questions, and I did so. I got one reply, “what is the problem” to which I explained that I had not received a tracking order for the item that should have been sent to me according to the website within 3 days of a cleared payment. My payment should have been cleared immediately. I texted maybe 3 more times inquiring about my purchase. I paid with one of the Pay in Four companies that I shop with, so the company pays the entire amount and then I pay a quarter of it every 2 weeks. It is paid off in 6 weeks. I only have one $51.00 payment left in a few days. But I didn’t ever hear from the company again or receive anything for the money spent. At my wits end because I couldn’t figure out how to get help through Shopify without having my own store, I put the name of the company in my google browser trying to find some way to figure this out. My bank had refunded me my first $50 payment but then sent me something saying I would have to work with the merchant from here on out. Anyway, when I did a search, a website popped up that was almost exactly like the website I had used in the Shopify app. However there was a way to email someone and ask for help. I did so and got a very quick reply asking to see my confirmation receipt. I sent it promptly shaking my head because he said our order numbers don’t begin #1001. They start with the letter S. Almost immediately the REAL Cambridge Audio USA was able to tell me that I had been scammed and they were being impersonated. Shopify did the right thing for them by immediately taking the website down. I agreed to help them in any way. And they agreed to be there for me if I needed to prove that I had been duped out of my money. But it wasn’t that easy for me. The pay in four place put my account on hold. They asked for the receipt and then proof of the texts that I had sent. The website was taken down so I couldn’t get proof that I contacted the merchant before I reported a problem. I only have one payment to make now. I’ve been in and out of the hospital with severe pneumonia. The pay in four finally took my account off hold. But I have now paid $150 and soon will be paying another $50 to a thief from the Shopify app. I feel like there’s nothing else that can be done. Please help me. What can I do now?

Signed, XOUT_CYBERCRIME

2

Hey, @Xout_Cybercrime .

Thanks for reaching out and bringing this to our attention.

If your order was paid using installments, then we’d recommend contacting the payment provider directly and disputing the charges. For example, if you were using Shop Pay Installments, then the payment provider is Affirm and you can follow their instructions on how to Dispute a purchase. If you have any other questions about your online order, then we’ve also got some next steps to assist you here: FAQ: Your Online Order.

If you have any other questions on this topic, then don’t hesitate to let us know.

3

Thank you. This occurred at the beginning of June. I have disputed the
charges a few different times because I was in the hospital for pneumonia.
So I wasnt replying quickly due to severe illness. What it came down to
was they wanted proof I contacted the merchant. The only contact I could
do was a message text system on Shopify. I sent I believe 4 messages
asking for a tracking number. Unfortunately when the website got taken
down, I was unable to take photos of the texts as proof. It’s bothering me
all the time that I am going to be paying the last installment of $203 in a
few days and that the criminal has prevailed.

Any help would be appreciated,

Wendy Marking

4

Hi, @Xout_Cybercrime !

Thanks for getting back to us. If your payment provider requires proof that you’ve tried to contact the merchant, I recommend responding to your order confirmation email. You can also share that the website is no longer active, as that accounts for why you’re unable to contact them.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!