Counterfit watches confiscated

tbh

Hi all -

my g/f's brother ordered some "genuine" flawed rolexs watchs off some reliable chinese website :rolleyes: and got a letter on friday in French saying something along the lines of "we found your watch, we own the copyright, please let us know it's ok to destroy your watch blah, I want to say I'm disgusted" (I think that's what the last line says!)

Has anyone any experience in this? My feeling is it's a form letter, they don't have to do anything and the watch will get destroyed, and that's it - lesson learned hopefully. The letter said they had to reply in 5 days tho - does anyone know if anything happens if they don't? (when he was telling me, it occured to me that it'd be a neat scam to take the order for the watch, then send a letter to the mark to say you were destroying their watch, and then just take the money)

And second question, do they have any chance of getting the money back? He says it was around €400, which means it was probably around the €600 mark. I have a feeling he ordered as a result of a spam mail - I know, I know - so have advised them to cancel credit cards.

foggy_lad

Flawed rolex watches? Thats like flawed rolls royces they are not sold to anyone. This is most likely i scam and very little chance of getting anything back unless payment was by credit card.

jor el

Why was the letter in French? Does he live in France?

The only people who could confiscate the watches are customs and excise, and that would only happen upon entry to the country where they are being delivered.

It does sound like a scam though, and he has very little chance of getting a refund.

wyndham

tbh wrote: »

Hi all -

my g/f's brother ordered some "genuine" flawed rolexs watchs off some reliable chinese website

Stopped reading here.

I have a few cases of magic beans surplus to requirements if he is still looking for a bargain.

Nody

tbh wrote: »

Hi all -

my g/f's brother ordered some "genuine" flawed rolexs watchs off some reliable chinese website :rolleyes: and got a letter on friday in French saying something along the lines of "we found your watch, we own the copyright, please let us know it's ok to destroy your watch blah, I want to say I'm disgusted" (I think that's what the last line says!)

If it is caught in French customs and/or contact from the owners of the brand give them a call (it should be headed paper so you know the company in question but don't use the printed number but rather look it up yourself) to verify it.

And second question, do they have any chance of getting the money back? He says it was around €400, which means it was probably around the €600 mark. I have a feeling he ordered as a result of a spam mail - I know, I know - so have advised them to cancel credit cards.

CC charge back if lucky I guess based on that the items where not delivered (though I'd keep quiet about getting caught in customes as that might raise a few uncomfortable questions).

tbh

wyndham wrote: »

Stopped reading here.

I have a few cases of magic beans surplus to requirements if he is still looking for a bargain.

thank you very much for taking the effort of typing what 99.99% of us were thinking anyway. It sets you apart as a net savvy citizen.

I think the letter is from somewhere in Belgium. I imagine the watches were sent from China and cleared in Belgium where they were picked up by customs. I know there's no chance of him getting his money back from the company, the main question really is, if he doesn't respond to the email will they just destroy the watches and not take it any further ( I don't see what they could do anyway).

eth0_

Did he pay with his credit card? He could try to get a chargeback.

tbh

yeah, paid with a credit card.

Zulu

Firstly, tell the clown he's a clown.

Secondly, if you guys get married, use this in a speech. He should be constantly reminded of this.

Thirdly, get him to contact the credit card company asap. If he explains he's a clown, they might be able do something for him.

Honestly though, if should be Irish customs that he's dealing with. I'd ring them if possibe (the "customs") and explain that the package is irish property and they've no justdiction*, or some such.

*this is completly made up

eth0_

Zulu wrote: »

Honestly though, if should be Irish customs that he's dealing with. I'd ring them if possibe (the "customs") and explain that the package is irish property and they've no justdiction*, or some such.
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Doesn't work that way i'm afraid. The French customs officers are entitled to seize it.

However - just noticed they sent the letter to OP's brother in FRENCH? To an Irish address? :rolleyes:

tbh

Zulu wrote: »

Firstly, tell the clown he's a clown.

done and done

Secondly, if you guys get married, use this in a speech. He should be constantly reminded of this.

I like that too

Thirdly, get him to contact the credit card company asap. If he explains he's a clown, they might be able do something for him.

Honestly though, if should be Irish customs that he's dealing with. I'd ring them if possibe (the "customs") and explain that the package is irish property and they've no justdiction*, or some such.

*this is completly made up

my french isn't the best, but from what I can gather (I've not see the letter, it's been read out to me in a very broad Donegal accent!) it sounds like the letter is from representatives of Rolex (the real Rolex), so as eth0_ says, I think they do have some sort of jurisdiction. Ah well, one copy of "Internets for dummys" in the post..

jor el

tbh wrote: »

my french isn't the best, but from what I can gather (I've not see the letter, it's been read out to me in a very broad Donegal accent!) it sounds like the letter is from representatives of Rolex (the real Rolex), so as eth0_ says, I think they do have some sort of jurisdiction. Ah well, one copy of "Internets for dummys" in the post..

Rolex can't intercept items in the post, so they shouldn't be sending the letter. Also, if it was posted in China, and addressed to Ireland, then Belgian customs shouldn't be looking at it, unless it's coming through Belgium by surface post. If it was sent airmail, it will go direct from China to Ireland, and shouldn't be coming through Belgium.

It does sound like a complete scam. If he chooses to ignore the letter, then I'd imagine nothing further will happen. So he can just leave it alone, and take the hit, and also the obligatory slagging that you'll be forced to give him, forever.

Mr. Presentable

All containers for the British Isles go through Belgium! Customs would have no interest unless you were importing in sufficient quantities for sale, and Rolex would have no access to the container in any case..

I think it sounds like a scam, but it may not be depending on the above.

DonJose

I'd go with the chargeback option. Tell him to contact his bank, tell them he purchased some items online, that he never received the items and put a chargeback in motion.

krudler

remind him hes a clown too, i have a nice sideline in viagara and male impotence magic beans, no joke make hard long time, reply with bank details, post me first born child and will return safely with fun times


seriously, who in their right mind uses a credit card to buy stuff off a chinese spam email? why didnt he just post them the contents of his bank account instead?

jor el

krudler wrote: »

remind him hes a clown too, i have a nice sideline in viagara and male impotence magic beans,

Not to mention the $20,000,000 you have in that bank in Zaire.


If he hasn't already canceled his credit card, tell him to do it pronto. If they really are scammers, then he could expect to see a much larger than 400 euro bill.

ejmaztec

He could have got a real Rolex in Turkey for €2, like the one that the wife of my "friend" got as a gift. :P

Helix

tbh wrote: »

I imagine the watches were sent from China and cleared in Belgium where they were picked up by customs.

youre as bad as him then so lol. i strongly doubt the watches ever existed

tbh

Helix wrote: »

youre as bad as him then so lol. i strongly doubt the watches ever existed

I'd have to say, that'd be my feeling too. has to be said, neat little scam

craichoe

nipplenuts wrote: »

All containers for the British Isles go through Belgium! Customs would have no interest unless you were importing in sufficient quantities for sale, and Rolex would have no access to the container in any case..

I think it sounds like a scam, but it may not be depending on the above.

AFAIK all imports come through Rotterdam via TNT Post (Bear in mind TNT do post and not just Courier in the Netherlands)