Scam advertisements claiming to represent independently run, Irish-owned clothes shops are increasingly tricking consumers into purchasing items they believe are locally produced.
Last week, The Irish Times featured the woes of a reader called Alison who bought what she thought was an outfit from a shop she believed was in Kildare only for the outfit to arrive in the wrong size and all the way from China.
This week, a reader called Kehlan recounted a similar tale of buying an item from a site trading under the name Murray-Dublin but which actually arrived from China. Both women were unhappy with the quality of their purchases and sent numerous emails to the seller requesting a refund.
“These companies are an absolute blight on the retail landscape in Ireland because not only are they ripping people off, they’re also terribly bad for the environment,” says Irish Times consumer affairs correspondent Conor Pope.
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Who is behind these companies, how do they trick consumers into purchasing their goods and how can they be avoided?
Today, on In The News, the online deals that are too good to be true.
Conor Pope discusses how the fake Irish clothes firms scams work and what to do if you fall victim.
Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon.
