I'm not sure Vinted is responsive to reports but if you've contacted the seller (through the platform) requesting a return and/or demanding a refund and she hasn't complied, you always have to protection offered by your payment method, whether you used Paypal (goods and services) or a credit card.
Go to your transaction and open a dispute for not as described. Choose "illegal counterfeit item" as the reason for the dispute and you should win although they'll probably do some type of investigation before issuing a refund.
Although you've learned this lesson too late for my advice to help you, perhaps it can help others who lurk.
- NEVER buy from a listing without clear and definitive pictures
- NEVER buy from a seller who refuses to send clear pictures or who ignores your questions
- NEVER use a debit card to pay for your item since debit cards generally don't offer the protections that credit cards do.
- Watch timeframes required for disputes so dishonest sellers won't drag on the dispute until your claim time runs out
The order of claims I suggest are:
1. Contact seller to try to resolve
2. If seller isn't cooperative, open dispute through the venue
3. If you can't open through the transaction/venue, go to your payment processor
4. Last resort, credit card dispute and chargeback.
Since you've already been scammed by a seller who knowingly or not sold you a fake, you have nothing to lose by referring the seller here. In her defense, maybe it could have been an "honest" mistake, but since the law (and website rules) require that sellers KNOW items are authentic before listing, she was in the wrong and if honest and honorable, she should be willing to help.
Note that a chargeback will ding her account, she'll also be hit with a $20 chargeback fee for forcing you to go that route.
ETA: I just had a negative experience from a seller I DO NOT recommend. Seller has a green "Willis" bag listed at nearly $400. There are 3 pictures in the listing. Picture #1 shows the front off the bag, picture #2 shows a stock image of a different bag, different style, and picture #3 shows the bottom of what appears to be a black bag.
When I requested additional pictures and clarification, she told me she was away and that the bag would be sold by the time she returned. Well, 4 days later, the bag was NOT sold, the listing is STILL active and the seller STILL didn't post the requested picture of the creed or clarification of the inconsistencies in her listing.
When I wrote back saying that $400 is a lot for a bag without necessary pictures, she told me she doesn't want my business because I'm a nag.
This is a seller I'd strongly recommend avoiding.
It doesn't happen.
