A couple of weeks ago I ordered some earbuds from a what look to be a reputable local company (Flog Gadgets of Portsmouth), I should have known better really, looking in the small print they operate from a PO Box and the PayPal button is disabled, the only payment option being SagePay which just protects your card details.
Just for the record the holding company trading address is listed as:
Gadget Distribution
19 Victory Business Centre, Somers Rd Nth, Portsmouth, PO1 1PJ
The phone number being listed as 02392 816550 (no answer of course)
and registered office is
Wellesley House, 204 London Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 7AN
I’m making this post as I know my posts get page-ranked quite highly with Google, this post is currently coming up on the first page if you Google “Flog Gadgets” in quotes
Anyhow, if you’ve been burnt by this mob too leave a comment and so we can raise awareness of unscrupulous outfits like this who give e-retailing a bad name.
Update 27th August
Had a very useful email from Trisha Brown at SagePay explaing how they differ from PayPal..
“Hi Phil,
Any company that has a SagePay account needs to firstly obtain a trading Merchant Number from a major bank. The banking procedure’s and law’s mean in order to get a merchant Number strict checks are made on the company applying and they will be vetted vigorously before a bank will allow them to trade online.
So when a company takes out an account with us and they have a valid merchant number with a major UK based Bank we see this as a form of security that the company is valid and reputable.
I apologise about the service you have received from this Company and if you give me the website URL and your transaction details I can certainly try and contact them for you.
We act as their payment service provider which means we never handle your funds we just simply make sure that your payment gets authorised securely and that your card details are not tampered with when you are purchasing online.
I hope this helps get back to me if you need anything else at all.”
Update 28th August
Seems the lady from SagePay was true to her word, half of my original order arrived in the mail today, though the packing note had it marked as all of my order, presumably so the sender had proof of postage? In case you are wondering yes they are FAKE Sennheiser earbuds by the way.
Update 12th October
The power of blogging eh.. had an email from them saying they’d been informed about this blog post…. and the missing FAKE Sennheiser arrived a couple of days later. Good old Goolge, what would we consumers do without you!
Update 19th October
I’ve had emails from other people who feel they’ve been cheated, see the comments section at the bootom of this blog. If you arrived here from Google and are one of those people and want to give them the benefit of the doubt their real email address is sales@floggadgets.co.uk in case their their web contact form really is up the swanny.
An interest thread here – claiming this same individual also trades as oddsandpods.co.uk
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38 users responded in this post
I can add gadgetbuyers.co.uk to the list of websites owned and run by the same company…and that i fell into the same trap buying the goods before realising that they only had a PO box and an online comment form that doesn’t work. I’m waiting for a similar reply from sagepay and maybe one day a broken box of pieces will turn up
Yep, just received a fake pair of Sony earphones today from them… And now their website is down completely – the template for a shop is there, but no content – it’s all disappeared since this morning…. same for gadgetbuyers.co.uk However, oddandpods.co.uk still up… Somehow, don’t think I’ll be getting a refund or anything… hope the asshole is caught and jailed.
I placed an order with gadgetbuyers.co.uk for an iPig on the 9th November. I received an email on the 10th saying it was dispatched….it is now the 24th and still no iPig. I have tried to contact them, but no response, so I have now contacted Sagepay to see if I can get my money refunded. I notice that their website seems to be up and running again.
I to ordered an ipig on the 10th Nov 2010 as the web page showed in stock. Not turned up yet, plus have emailed and on line web formed them loads with no answer. Yes the money has been taken out of my bank account though. I will try sage pay too. Has anyone contacted trading standards yet? This type of shit web site really puts you off Internet shopping doesn’t it!! Wish I had an address for them I knew the owner would be at, I’d definitely get my cash back off them by the time I’d finished with them.
Hi Phil
I’ve also been caught by this campany as well, ordered something a few
weeks ago and not turned up, tried emailing them and no answer. How do I
get in touch with Sage?
Hope you can help me out,
regards Leigh
I emailed Sage last week, but so far not heard anything back from them…..still no ipig. This is so frustrating not hearing anything from anyone.
Interesting email arrived the other day! I did a quick check in WHOIS and despite what Mike (AKA Matt) says both sites are registered with same person and hosted with 123.com.. err.. hello?
On 24 November 2010 12:30, Matt wrote:
Hello we have been made aware of a review and that there are links to our website from floggadgets. we are not the same company and here at oddsandpods we are a respectable company selling quality gadgets.
I ask that you pleasse remove the link to us. We are already having issues with 1 forum. We used to supply some items to this company but we are not the same company. Our website is an authorised Sennheiser dealer and we sell original Sennheiser items only.
I would appreciate it if you could assist me in this request as comments like this on the web are damaging to our business. —————————————————————————-
Sender info:
IP: 87.114.197.217
Browser/OS: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-GB; rv:1.9.2.12) Gecko/20101026
Firefox/3.6.12
Sorry but that’s bullsh*t, he’s spinnig a yarn, clearly this is the same person and a fraudster! I have lodged a complaint with Portsmouth Trading Standards and would urge others to. If I don’t get anywhere with this now I have his address he’s going to get a good slapping very shortly, I kid you not, we now know where he lives!
hi
same story i’ve been waiting for Sennheiser HD 205 HD205 for over a week (maybe not that long comparing to others but still)
i sent 2 emails asking where the Item is and no response…
can anyone tell me if there is any way to get the money back?
heeeeeeeeeeelp!
Trading standards are your best bet I’d have thought..
Hello everyone, just to report on my earier post. I’ve actually received my Krusell case today which I ordered on 14/11/10 and the case is genuine.
Thanks Phil for all your help
Regards Leigh
I recently bought a set of headphones with mic for my iphone from floggadgets.co.uk, these turned up within a few days, only to find the microphone does not work and one of the ear pieces is also broken. I have e-mailed the company several times and have had no reply. It seems I am one of many that has been swindled out of their money for faulty goods from these cowboys. Lets bring this company down and ruin there xmas!!!!!!!
Also bought the illusive iPig from Gadgetbuyers, but nothing showed. If anyone wants to join me in paying him a visit, let me know……
Ordered a Krusell case on 21st November and not yet received despite 3 emails to them.
Bought an “extended” battery from them for my phone. Twice the size of the normal one but doesn’t even last as long! Have tried contacting them by webform and email but no luck yet. Only a small amount BUT will get in touch with Trading Standards as really not on (and worse still others may be spending a lot more!)
I think I’ve just been had by these people. Ordered something a couple of weeks ago, not received, can’t get in contact.
Fortunately it should be fairly easy to get my money back through my credit card company. If anyone’s interested, the directors of the company are Michael and Helen Reeder of 26 Carbis Close, Port Solent, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, PO6 4TW.
Ordered iPig and digi photo frame 26/11/2010, money debited from account 29/11/2010 ….. still no order received!!!!!! NOT happy!!! Have always shopped online and never had a problem until this Christmas …. puts you off internet shopping!!
I too have order an ipig ipod on the 27/11/2010 from GadgetBuyers.co.uk, just incase any body else feels like going on this web site don’t the are nothing but theives that hide behind a web page and because of them one of my Children will not be getting a Christmas present. I have tried emailing them through their useless email link on the website several times, with no Joy. I hope you have a really crap Christmas Michael and Helen Reeder.
Ordered ighost on 19/11/10 which has not arrived. The money has been taken and despite numerous emails no response! Seems like I am one of many!
I ordered lego speaker 2 days ago and suddenly realised I hadn’t had email confirmation of order. Tried to login, apparently I’m not registered! Checked my bank balance ….. money has been taken. I will try to email but haven’t just googled it and looked at comments above, not feeling very confident. Will check back in soon.
I have heard from Sage pay, and they are now investigating this company, but they are also still validating transactions for them
. I have had no correspondence from Mike since, he confirmed they “tracked my package”. I was lucky enough to buy another ipig elsewhere so my daughter won’t be dissappointed this christmas. I wish everyone here good luck resolving your problems, and hope that you enjoy christmas x
We paid by debit card, and was advised by Sagepay that if we contact our bank and ask for a “chargeback” for fraudulent transaction for goods not received, we may get our money back. Fingers crossed!
I also have been stung by gadget buyers for 2 items that I ordered at the beginning of December and still nothing. Have emailed numerous times and no answer (surprise surprise!). Going to try and phone my bank now and see if there is any chance I can get my money back.
Victory Business Centre is a reputable light industrial centre / business centre owned by Portsmouth City Council. The phone number for reception is 023 9282 6225.
ORDERED AN IHOME DOCKING STATION FROM THESE FRAUDSTERS ON 6/12/10 AS A XMAS PRESENT FOR MY PARTNER. HAVE STILL NOT RECEIVED THIS ITEM AND NO RESPONSE TO MY EMAILS TO THEM. SINCE LOOKING UP REVIEWS ON THIS COMPANY,IT SEEMS MANY OTHER PPL HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE. I WILL BE GOING THROUGH SAGE PAY WHO THEY USE TO COLLECT PAYMENTS FROM CUSTOMERS AND WILL LODGE A FORMAL COMPLAINT!! I WILL ALSO FLAG THEM UP TO WATCHDOG AND ROGUE TRADERS.
I am another victim. I ordered a Gorillapod on 5 Dec and my account was debited the next day. Despatch was notified to me on 15 Dec – since then nothing, despite several emails. As others have noted, the complaints part of the website is inoperative. I am grateful for all those who have provided information in this Blog and will do everything, not only to get my money back but also to bring the directors of this company down. I will be contacting Trading Satndards; Portsmouth Police; Google; Sage;Local Press; Companies House and any other interested party. We
are dealing with fraudsters here, and the internet market should take some interest. Without confidence in honest transactions, we’ll all be shopping locally. Please keep me in touch with developments. Thank you
Hello from Finland. I ordered an HTC Desire car holder, a MicroSD card and a micro-USB cable on 11.12.2010 from Flog Gadgets. I was recommended by a friend who had ordered a similar set just weeks earlier and received it, no problems. They emailed me to say that the order has been dispatched on 16.12.2010 but I have not received anything. I emailed them twice but no answer. Had I not been drunk while making the order I would have double-checked. Stupid me. Better call my credit card company and see what they can do to refund me.
*sigh*
Another person who has been done by oddsandpods.co.uk
ordered headphones…. and nothing comes. “First Class” delivery. Tried all contact methods several times and nothing, what a surprise!…..
Reported to watchdog…. trading standards next….. Trying to get my back to charge it back too/
Hello, bought a Sony MDR-XB40EX from Oddsandpods website at the beginning of December, still have not received it, i just want my money refunded now.
I Have started a chargeback with my bank,as i used visa debit to pay. My bank said once i have filed the form with them they will investigate into this for the chargeback, so if you have paid using visa debit, i recommend doing this.The more people do this then hopefully they will be investigated properly by TS.
Good Luck
i ordered ipod doc on 17 dec i got email saying been despatched. I tried emailing them but no response i and sagepay are just has bad they should have stopped transactions taking part. Stay away from them, they say they deal with safety of payments for your card bullshit you should have stopped these cowboys from having dealings with you you old your head in shame has well you have known about this for some time shame on you.
Hi again
Just to let you know, that we did get our money back from our bank using the “chargeback” as I said earlier. Good luck anyone who are in the same position I was in!
Ordered 3 x iPad cases from Gadgetbuyers.co.uk and agin no delivery, no response. DO NOT USE THIS SITE, clearly fraud.
found mike/matt reeders home address
26 Carbis Close Port Solent PO6 4TW
I WISH I HAD SEEN THESE COMMENTS BEFORE ORDERING MY BLACKBERRY CURVE COVER ON 31ST DECEMBER 2010! AFTER E-MAILING TO FIND OUT WHERE MY ITEM WAS, I FINALLY RECEIVED A REPLY TO SAY THAT IT HAD BEEN DESPATCHED ON 19TH JANUARY 2011. STILL NOTHING AND NOT REPLYING TO MY E-MAILS. I’VE CONTACTED SAGEPAY AND AM AWAITING A REPLY. WILL ALSO TRY TO GET A REFUND VIA MY CREDIT CARD COMPANY. NOTICED THAT ODDS & PODS WEBSITE LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE FLOG GADGETS, SO I’M NOT SURPRISED THEY ARE THE SAME COMPANY. FLOG GADGETS WEBSITE HAS SHUT DOWN WITH A MESSAGE SAYING THAT A NEW COMPANY BOUGHT THEM IN SEPTEMBER 2010 AND, AFTER A VERY BUSY CHRISTMAS (I BET) THEIR WEBSITE IS BEING UPDATED! CAN’T UNDERSTAND WHY SAGEPAY ARE STILL BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THEM? ONLINE TRADERS LIKE THESE MAKE MY BLOOD BOIL.
HI
JUST AN UPDATE TO MY PREVIOUS BLOG, I CONTACTED SAGEPAY WHO BASICALLY SAID THE SAME AS OTHER GUYS HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY JUST MAKE SURE THE TRANSACTION IS SECURE ETC. ETC. BUT THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT FLOG GADGETS ON MY BEHALF TO TRY TO GET A RESULT. LOW AND BEHOLD, A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER AND I’VE RECEIVED THE PHONE COVER I’VE BEEN WAITING A MONTH FOR! I DON’T KNOW WHAT SAGEPAY DID BUT THEY GOT ME A RESULT. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO’S WAITING ON ORDERS TO BE DELIVERED. I RECKON CONTACTING SAGEPAY SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST POINT OF CALL.
Now the famous datakits.co.uk scammer is back with a vengeance as nicecans.co.uk & ithingy.co.uk
30 month sentence
In the news today, Michael Reeder has been jailed for 2.5 years for selling fake goods. Serves him right!
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