It’s with some shame that I write yet again about online shopping, especially given that I was recently scammed.

I purchased an “Anine Bing” shirt on Vinted for a suspiciously low price and wasn’t at home to inspect the package when it arrived. Vinted gives buyers 48 hours post-delivery to raise the alarm, which can be tricky if “delivered” means left in your neighbour’s or the green bin. When I examined it, I soon saw that my stripy shirt was more Shein hate-crime than Scandinavian chic. The bold seller explained that they had name-checked the brand in the listing but “not selected it from the drop-down menu”.

I contacted Vinted. “I’ve checked the transaction details,” the reply read, but the two-day deadline had passed. I asked what happened when an item was found to be counterfeit after two days. Days later, a new reply appeared: “I do apologise. Please disregard that last message …” I was asked to send detailed photos of the counterfeit item and receipts if I had them. I was pleasantly surprised, if confused, by the receipts request.

An hour after sending the photos, I was brushing my teeth when my phone lit up with a notification preview. “I’ve checked the transaction details …” it read and my heart sank. The two-day deadline had passed.

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