I want to raise an alarm about a recent online shopping scam I encountered, which I believe is crucial for the community to be aware of, especially those interested in fishing gear.

It started with an advertisement claiming to be a warehouse for Bass Pro Shop in California, offering incredible deals on fishing items. I was enticed by the offer and placed an order for three Shimano reels, totaling $73.98.

After completing the purchase, I noticed that the billing entity was listed as ‘Aliyod‘ on my bank statement, which was unfamiliar and not associated with Bass Pro Shop. This was the first red flag.

For over two months, I waited for the delivery. The scammers then claimed that the package had arrived at my local post office and was delivered to my mailbox. Upon checking with the postal service, it was confirmed that no such delivery was made.

The scammers then shifted their story, stating they mistakenly sent sunglasses instead of the reels, and these too were ‘lost.’ After a prolonged dispute via email, they offered a mere 50% refund as their “best option.”

The scam included links to a customer service site, CustomerCare-VIP.com, which seemed to be part of the deceptive setup. The communication from this service was generic and unhelpful, further adding to the suspicion.

This experience has all the hallmarks of an online shopping scam, using the guise of a reputed brand to deceive customers. The tactics included unbelievable deals, a dubious billing name, extended delivery excuses, partial refund offers, and fake customer service interactions.