More and more sellers on Shopee operate as middlemen. They don’t have the actual merchandise in stock. You, the buyer, purchas the item first, then the seller buy it from their source for you.
Shopee
The website auto logged me out saying “to continue using shopee, please download and login on the shopee app” No matter what I do, that message can’t go away.
Which I can’t do. Because the “app is not available” in my country. Even though I am in Taiwan.
So, looks like I am no longer using Shopee.
The website does automatically log you out after some period of time, but I’ve never had it require me to use the app rather than the website.
If you’re using Android and can’t/don’t want to change your region settings, you should be able to download the APK from one of the reliable APK sites. I used to do that before.
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I get the same error if I access it on a browser on my phone. I’ll probably get it sorted out when I remember to, but for now accessing it on my laptop works fine.
Maybe it is just a glitch and it will fix itself soon. But today, each time I try it asks me to download the app.
I am worried changing region settings might lock me out of UK apps I use–like my banking app and others. So I’m not gonna change my region settings in Google Play store.
I will have alook at an APK site, cheers.
Mine is on my laptop. I will see if it works on my phone.
But a terrible design really, and having the app region locked is stupid.
Fair enough, but it’s worth noting that I haven’t had this problem with any of my UK banking apps (HSBC, Halifax, RBS, Starling, Monzo, and Revolut). I get the impression UK banks tend not to restrict regions in this way.
Possible related to the scam I described here:
Doesn’t always work, sometimes they’re still selling from China. See my above post.
My Shopee randomly stopped trying to force me to use the app and is working again. I guess it was some glitch with the website.
Well…I got ripped off / scammed for the first time on Shopee today.
Shame on me for ordering an item from a seller that nobody bought from that seller before.
Ordered 4 Ghostbusters Lego minifigures for my son for Christmas. The seller messaged me on the app requesting I cancel the order and purchase it from them again due to a logistical error on their end.
Foolishly, I didnt think twice. I canceled the order and purchased it (C.O.D.) again. The seller said all was good and the items would arrive in a few days.
Fastforward to today and I get an sms notification that a package from shoppee is waiting for me at 711. The price matched, but the tracking number didn’t. It was the tracking number of tbe original, canceled order. The new order was showing “seller started shipping process”.
I figured it must be ok. At 711, I picked up the package and paid cash. It felt way too light…but hey…4 Lego minifiguree dont weigh much at all. When I opened it, all that was inside was one individually wrapped period pad. WTF!!!
So now Im trying to figure out what to do.
The newer order is still showing in the shipping section. I contacted Shoppee and they said I need to file a police report for anything to happen.
Total cost was only $360…so I’m willing to take a loss and chalk it up to not being street smart in the shopee universe. But…is my account compromised in any way now? Advice?
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Just out of principle, I would file the police report in this case. Bring the period pad to the police station and make a report (and mention that you need the report to get the money back). Then submit everything to Shopee.
Not sure if the Seller will eventually get charged with anything, but hopefully, you’ll at least get your money back…
If everyone thinks like that, those shady sellers will just continue to scam people!
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Kind of a clever way for them to do it. I assume they’ll now cancel the second order themselves…?
Did you write to the seller too? Obviously useless, but would be interesting to see what they say or if they just ignore you!
As annoying as it is, I’d be inclined to file the police report too, just as a matter of principle.
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One option might also be that the seller’s account has been hacked and someone is sending out duplicate fake orders with pay on receive…
So there is actually a chance for the seller also not being involved in this. But I’d say that’s less likely…
Possibly! It occurred to me before that if I were doing this, I’d maybe get someone else to send out the fake parcel to keep things more deniable… but the account being hacked by a third party would also seem plausible.
Just don’t release the payment to the seller. Request a refund instead.
They don’t have that option here, because the payment is unrelated to an order on Shopee. That’s why:
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Thinking about it though, their net profit on this must be on the order of NT$300 after the convenience store shipping fee, not including the time spent (or the period pad, which I’ve assumed to be of negligible value).
It doesn’t seem enough of a reward to justify the scam. 
I guess they rely on doing it with multiple people and no one being bothered enough to complain (which is why you should!).
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I wish that was an option.
But Andrew is correct…
Exactly. Why all the trouble for just 300ish?
Must be doing this at a greater volume in small amounts to inrease the odds of people not bothering to fight it.
Im doing a police report today.
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OH I understand the scam now. They tricked you into signing for a fake package from a cancelled order (the first order), because you thought it was the package from the second valid order.
The scam replies on you not checking the Shoppee order numbers in the “package ready for collection” SMS message. I don’t check it either but will now.
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