Woman's first FB Marketplace purchase for $35 'branded' shoes ends badly after she gets fakes

A woman's very first purchase on Facebook Marketplace has proved to be an unforgettable one — but not in a good way.

Stomper H said she saw a pair of shoes claiming to be from luxury brand Bonia listed for sale at $1 on the digital marketplace.

She told Stomp: "When I enquired about it, the seller mentioned that the price had gone up to $35. I agreed as looking at the picture, I thought it was okay for the price.

"I paid upon delivery by Ninja Van. After opening the package, I realised that shoes were not what I had ordered. By then, the Ninja Van delivery person had left and it's not a Ninja Van issue.

H received a pair of brandless shoes that looked nothing like the advertisement that she had seen.

The Stomper said: "I tried to message the seller but realised that the account had already been disabled by then. I was shocked as the seller had responded to me not long ago.

"I remembered checking the seller's profile earlier and seeing that the account was registered in 2008. They also had other items listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace but now, it has all been emptied out.

"Not only could I no longer find the seller on Facebook Marketplace, I realised that there are many others there listing items at $1 to $3. They all looked like fake accounts."

When H tried to report the these dubious-looking accounts on Facebook, she was informed that they did not violate community standards.

The Stomper added: "There is nowhere on Facebook to report such fake accounts and marketplace listings. The experience is so bad compared to Carousell and other shopping apps.

"This is actually my first Facebook Marketplace purchase. I thought of highlighting my experience so that newbie online shoppers will not get cheated by these sellers."

Bonia has urged members of the public to be extra careful of fraudulent deals or websites, and to only shop online via its official website.

Customers who need further clarification may contact Bonia's customer care team at ecustomercare@bonia.com or visit their nearest Bonia boutique.