Top bank suspends CashCashPinoy transactions over alleged sale of fake goods – sources

They say in online shopping, if a deal is too good to be true, then it probably is. Prescilla Ann Lapira learned this the hard way.

Early this year, Lapira and her boyfriend bought a Samsung Galaxy S5 phone, Michael Kors as well as Guess and Nine West bags at huge discounts from CashCashPinoy, one of the leading daily deals sites in the Philippines.

The goods they bought were labeled 100 percent authentic on the site, but Lapira said they were surprised with what was delivered. “We already knew something was wrong once our online purchases arrived. We went straight to Michael Kors and Samsung and both stores confirmed that CashCashPinoy sold us mere replicas,” Lapira recounted in a petition addressed to the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Change.org.

She added the Guess and Nine West bags were “old and damaged.”

Lapira is not alone. Her petition garnered the support of around 2,000 people – many of whom claimed they were also “scammed” by the site.

A screenshot of the page that hosted the petition.

Sample comments on the Change.org petition. Screenshot taken on November 4, 2014.

Lapira’s statement on Change.org was recently taken down. We were able to reach Lapira, but she declined to give further comment, saying a case was filed against her by CashCashPinoy.

Tech in Asia, however, met up with another online shopper who had the same experience. This shopper, who asked not to be named for fear she might get sued too, said CashCashPinoy refused to give her a refund and instead offered her “credit” which she may use to purchase any other items on the site. When she refused, she said men went to her house and asked to take back the goods she had bought.

Brands take action

The plight of Lapira and other aggrieved online shoppers is nothing new. Complaints against online shopping sites – ranging from late or non-delivery to and false advertising and selling of fake goods – are so widespread in the Philippines that they almost seem normal.