Kogan (Reseller) RAT Test - Scam!!!

SpIcYChIcKeNCuRrY on 17/01/2022 - 22:55

So at the start of this year, i placed an order for a box (20) of Innoscreen RAT testing kits from Kogan. It actually wasnt from Kogan itself, but rather their reseller.
The price was $84.95 and this was obviously a bargain as individual tests were about $10 each.

So today i have finally received the order. To my bemusement, it came in an letter envelope. This suddenly set off alarm bells in my head as there is no way a box could physically fit in a flat envelope. Note that the envelope also does not contain a sender/return address (it was more than likely deliberately left blank to avoid traceability).

Mind you, the listing title is as follows:

1x COVID-19 Home Rapid Test Kit Kit 1-20 Pack. QTY: 1
Sold by a reseller called "Tools N'Machinery".

Opening the envelope, I had received two RAT tests, not 20. It turns out that my missus' friend had also received something similar (6 tests for a $500+ order).

Immediately I got onto the Kogan website and submitted a inquiry with the seller as this became ever more so evident that I (and prolly many others) have been scammed.

The seller responded telling me that:

"From what i can see in our system you purchases two rapid test kits. The advertisement clearly describes the contents of the products being sold. You can purchase between 1 to 20 individual test kits".

My response to this was along the lines of calling the seller out on bullshit and how clearly the listing was designed to mislead consumers. I had screenshoted the purchase which shows "1-20 Pack. Qty of 1" which is also part of my supporting documentation i've sent to Kogan after filing a dispute tonight.

Furthermore, the two tests were placed in individual sandwich glad wrap bags - a point i have raised with the seller as these tests kits could have become contaminated after being handled (how the hell do i know if their staff have not washed their hands after taking a shit and then handled these test kits???!).

Kogan has provided a couple of disappoint purchase experiences but this is the last straw.

Rant over.

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Comments

  • bobbified on 17/01/2022 - 23:04
    +11

    i placed an order for……. from Kogan.

    I stopped reading after that. No sympathy here.

    • SpIcYChIcKeNCuRrY on 17/01/2022 - 23:12
      +1

      sympathy, who cares?!

      i'm interested in anyone else have had the same issue, and if anyone has had successfully gotten a refund through kogan's dispute process.

      • bobbified on 17/01/2022 - 23:19
        +3

        Any regulars here who fell for that would probably be too embarrassed to admit it! šŸ˜‹

      • DoctorCalculon on 18/01/2022 - 19:29

        kogan's dispute process

        Ahahahahahaha!

        Repeat after me. The word kogan in OzB dictionary means "scam". AKA scamogan

  • avoidfullprice on 17/01/2022 - 23:10
    +1

    How does $85 for a box of 20 equates to $10 a test? I would think $4 a pop, which sounds too good to be true? No alarm bells when you pay at check out?

    Title is deceptive and confusing in hindsight, but I've spotted these listings on eBay for years thou. How I hate seeing $20 iPhone search result only to see a drop down box saying "iPhone clear case only (out of stock)" and then actual iPhone for $999

    • SpIcYChIcKeNCuRrY on 17/01/2022 - 23:15

      ^well $10/test elsewhere was the cheapest before everyone wen hell bent for leather for RAT kits.

    • SmiTTy on 17/01/2022 - 23:16
      +4

      I think op means they usually sell for $10 a pop but he [thought he was] buying 20 for $85

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 17/01/2022 - 23:13
    +8

    Member since 2012ā€¦ come on man. You should know better than buying from Kogan - you were there- 3000 years ago.

    • SpIcYChIcKeNCuRrY on 17/01/2022 - 23:18

      well now i know. i guess i snoop for cheap stuff more than actually reading every single post on kogan in the forumz….

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 17/01/2022 - 23:31

        Itā€™s practically on every kogan deal but ok
        .
        Treated almost as same level as HN. But at least HN wonā€™t stooge you like Koganā€¦ for now.

        • Xistn on 18/01/2022 - 08:38
          +1

          I think what is worse is that he got scammed by Kogans Marketplace… super rookie move.

  • KaTst3R on 18/01/2022 - 00:36
    +6

    Sold by a reseller called "Tools N'Machinery".

    Yea looks like those guys are a bunch of scalpers. They are selling PS5 for $1500 on mydeal. Definitely not some decent retailer. Chargeback then report them and Kogan to ACCC or TGA. Let the fines begin.

  • Hybroid on 18/01/2022 - 05:34
    +1

    You'll need to show us the actual order confirmation. Nowhere on the title below does it imply there's 20 tests in the pack.

    1x COVID-19 Home Rapid Test Kit Kit 1-20 Pack. QTY: 1

    That's "1 test kit" in a "1 to 20 pack" depending how many you choose within listing. Where does it actually say you're getting 20 tests? If it doesn't anywhere else then you have assumed incorrectly. Price is irrelevant, they can sell one test for $200 if someone's willing to pay.

    And yes, that's what you get for ordering from Kogan. A third party seller at Kogan at that too.

    • morse on 18/01/2022 - 06:07
      +2

      Price is irrelevant, they can sell one test for $200 if someone's willing to pay.

      They can but it would be illegal https://www.abc.net.au/article/100761184
      ā€œbusinesses found to be selling tests for "excessive prices" could be fined up to $10 million.Individuals face fines of up to $500,000ā€

      • Hybroid on 18/01/2022 - 06:27

        Continue the quote…

        "If we found large stores and chains engaging in this sort of behaviour, we won't hesitate to take action and the penalties will be very large," Mr Sims said."Where it is individual stores, we still may take action by they are of such a size that penalties will be very painful for them."

        Empty threat akin to finger wagging. Especially with no clear definition of "excessive". Is it $20? $50? $300?

        Unless they start enforcing it then it's meaningless and people will continue to be ripped off. Either mandate a max selling price or provide it free to everyone as a public service like the UK and kill off these scalping scumbags (at public expense).

        • morse on 18/01/2022 - 08:34

          There is a definition of excessive:
          ā€œUnder the new rules, businesses who are slapping on more than a 20 per cent mark up on what they've paid to supply the test will be in breach of regulations that carry the possibility of a $66,000 fine and five years in jail.ā€

          So this supplier would have to demonstrate that they paid $30ish each for the tests.
          https://amp.abc.net.au/article/100741336

          Itā€™s not finger wagging at all I believe the legislation has passed and is in effect and if not will be soon.

    • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 18/01/2022 - 07:01
      -1

      Exactly, this is on OP as they didnā€™t read the listing properly.

      • morse on 18/01/2022 - 08:35

        Spot the RAT scalper.

    • SpIcYChIcKeNCuRrY on 18/01/2022 - 07:47
      +1

      Canā€™t attach a screenshot here as thereā€™s no option in the reply window to allow me to do so but hereā€™s the actual ā€œdescriptionā€:

      1 x Covid-19 Home Rapid Test Kit 1-20 Pack

      1 Year Seller Standard Care
      Sold by Tools n' Machinery

      At the time of purchase the quantity drop down menu was:

      1x 20 pack
      2x 40 pack
      Etc.

      • lolz112 on 18/01/2022 - 14:15
        +1

        Deceptive as shit. I've learnt to not purchase from Kogan cause of their scummy tactics. I know people aren't on your side but that is definitely misleading advertising. I'd report Kogan and the seller to the ACCC. Kogan as the trusted "australian" company needs to take some responsibility if they are hosting it on their marketplace.

    • Chandler on 18/01/2022 - 08:29
      +1

      A third party seller at Kogan at that too.

      Kogan don't make it glaringly obvious when you're buying from a third party, and they weren't always a marketplace like Amazon: there was a long period where everything you bought there was from Kogan. They don't quite hide it, but if you're being quick/lazy, it can be easy to miss.

      And yes, that's what you get for ordering from Kogan.

      Agreed on this but.

  • franco cozzo on 18/01/2022 - 08:07
    +1

    '1-20' is not '20x'

    • DoctorCalculon on 18/01/2022 - 19:34
      +1

      According to OP, on the product page dropdown they were able to choose 1x 20-pack.

      • SpIcYChIcKeNCuRrY on 20/01/2022 - 06:38

        Thatā€™s correct.
        The seller have since removed the listing.

  • amzinguserman on 18/01/2022 - 08:48
    +1

    Wait so it works out to like $40 a rat test ?

    Seems like misleading and deceptive conduct.

    Cant hurt to lodge a complaint to Fair Trading or ACCC.

    • SpIcYChIcKeNCuRrY on 20/01/2022 - 06:41

      Well precisely, $42.475 / test going by the sellerā€™s claims.

  • Bid Sniper on 18/01/2022 - 08:55
    +6

    In OP defence, the ad should be clear. I dont believe in victim blaming when it comes to shady deceptive practises.

    People are desperate to kind these tests so these shady con site will rip people off. If government was actually doing their job these would be easily available.

    If payed by paypal, open dispute. To me is deceptive advertising, then report to ACCC

    • puzzles2 on 18/01/2022 - 10:51
      +1

      Agreed, people on here are sometimes so quick to judge and critisize others. While sometimes fair, I feel like in this situation OP is justified in being upset at the misleading ad.

    • avoidfullprice on 18/01/2022 - 12:39

      People are desperate to kind these tests so these shady con site will rip people off.

      Agreed. Shit practice. In fact, saw news last night, a person paid $50 for a test out of desperation. Also, reoccuring FBs post showing unclear results from the test. Faint line, or red line below the arrow mark. Do you report the test as positive on health website? Also, wasted a test that costed $10 a pop.

      But in case of OP:

      …The price was $84.95 and this was obviously a bargain as individual tests were about $10 each.

      With that attitude, is OP really fault-free, if it thought was a deal, but got dealt a joker?

      If something sounds an alarm bell, in a high demand & low supply environment, but you proceed with it, the fault is all with the seller?

      OP didn't bid on an empty PS5 box on eBay, mistaken for a genuine PS5. The price he paid didn't reflect the first hand market demand, which OP knew to be around $10 a test

      • Bid Sniper on 18/01/2022 - 14:49
        +1

        Honestly these kits cost $4 to make. So they should be $5 x 20 ~ $100 if the government listened to medical expert advice and local manufactures, that's what they should of cost and be easily available. They had this advice given to them over a year ago and see SFA.

        VS a blatant rip off price and deceptive labelling. We've all been ripped off at one stage, blaming the victim doesn't solve anything. Blame the Kogan for ripping off victims, they're the ones that should be fined for scamming desperate people. '1-20' means nothing and is deceptive, if its a limit then like everyone else "limit X per customer" not '1-20' which is blatantly misleading.

        So what we're seeing here is "Can do Capitalism" at its best.

  • tsunamisurfer on 18/01/2022 - 11:48
    +1

    OP did fall for it but the advert is purposely misleading.

    I have been stung before buying from either T-Mart or Ali baba, the advert strongly suggests multiple when I bought it when I received it and went back to the advert I started to chastise myself for being so stupid to fall for it.

    Kogan should be better than to allow such practices on their platform.

    Hope OP finds a resolution as that is a lot of money.

  • Mechz on 18/01/2022 - 11:56
    +1

    If Kogan don't help call your bank and do a chargeback.

  • USER DC on 18/01/2022 - 20:15

    Ask for refund, then contact Kogan support (they are very lazzy wont get outcome within 3 months), then at end do chargeback dispute on CC if everything fails

  • SpIcYChIcKeNCuRrY on 25/01/2022 - 17:25

    Update:

    Ended up Kogan providing a full refund.

    Seller has not responded at all, surprise surprise.

    Needless to say, the two RAT tests I have will go into the bin - unless someone wants it please PM me (note: possibly contaminated due to manual handling by seller!)

    • cbastien on 28/01/2022 - 21:51

      Most likely fake ones

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