The "different product than what was ordered" scam is one of the most common scams in e-commerce—and also one of the most underestimated. The scheme is always the same: the consumer buys a smartphone, a home appliance, or a designer item online at an attractive price; the package arrives as expected; the tracking shows it has been delivered; but inside, there’s something completely different. A phone case worth just a few cents instead of the phone, a pair of socks instead of shoes, a worthless plastic trinket instead of the product that cost tens or hundreds of euros.
This isn’t a warehouse error, but a deliberate strategy designed to exploit a weakness in the system: proof of delivery. Understanding how this scheme works is the first step toward dismantling it and getting your money back.
Spoiler: It’s difficult to prove that the product shipped wasn’t actually the one you ordered.
Before you continue reading this article, let’s make it clear right away that getting a refund is a difficult process. The only option is cashback if—as we recommend, including through the SHOPSICURO.IT website—you used secure payment methods
Why the scammer actually ships a package
At first glance, it seems illogical: why would a dishonest seller bear the cost of an actual shipment? The answer lies in how electronic payments and buyer protections work. When a consumer disputes the charge with their bank or the payment platform, the seller defends themselves by presenting the tracking number: the carrier certifies that a package with that code was delivered to that address on that date.
The delivery receipt says that something arrived, but it doesn’t say what was inside, and it is precisely this gray area that the scammer exploits to maintain their apparent impunity. Some decoy websites are created solely for this purpose: they take orders for a few weeks, ship worthless items to generate authentic tracking numbers, then disappear and reopen under a different name at a different address. The same scheme also occurs on well-known marketplaces, where untrustworthy third-party sellers blend in among thousands of legitimate stores.
What the Consumer Code Says: Delivery of a Different Good Constitutes a Breach of Contract
Legally speaking, the consumer’s position is much stronger than sellers would have you believe. Receiving a product different from the one ordered is not merely a defect: in legal terms, this constitutes the delivery of a good entirely different from the one agreed upon, which is equivalent to no delivery at all. The Consumer Code, as amended by European regulations on the sale of goods, establishes that the seller is obligated to deliver goods that conform to the contract and is liable for any lack of conformity for two years following delivery. When the package contains a different item, the lack of conformity is fundamental: the consumer may demand delivery of the correct item or, given the seriousness of the breach, termination of the contract with a full refund of the purchase price. In addition, there is the right of withdrawal provided for distance purchases, which can be exercised within fourteen days without having to provide any reason.
The burden of proving that the correct product was shipped rests with the seller, not the customer: tracking information alone does not prove anything about the package’s contents.
Steps to Take Immediately Upon Opening the Package
The difference between a case that ends with a refund and one that drags on for months is decided in the first few minutes. If the package appears tampered with, feels light, or looks unusual, the best course of action is to sign for it “subject to inspection” at the time of delivery. In any case, the opening must be documented: take photos of the unopened package from every angle, with the label and tracking code clearly visible, and then film the opening in a single continuous take, without cuts, until the contents are revealed.
That video is the key piece of evidence in disputes, because it overturns the apparent validity of the delivery receipt. Immediately afterward, weigh the package: often, the weight recorded by the courier at the time of shipment does not match the product ordered, and this discrepancy is an objective fact that is very difficult to dispute. Finally, send a written dispute to the seller via a traceable channel, attaching the evidence and demanding delivery of the correct product or a refund within a specific timeframe.
Chargebacks, Platform Protections, and Marketplace Liability
If the seller does not respond or rejects the request, your options are by no means exhausted. Those who paid by card can initiate a chargeback through their bank, disputing the charge for goods that do not match what was ordered: payment networks explicitly provide for this reason, and the unboxing video, along with the weight discrepancy, constitutes a very compelling case.
Those who purchased through a marketplace can activate the platform’s warranty programs, which—in the event that the product differs from what was ordered—typically provide for a refund even when the third-party seller objects.
The key point to remember is that an initial denial is never the end of the matter: most initial rejections are based precisely on the delivery tracking information, and are bound to be overturned by a documented dispute that demonstrates its irrelevance. In the most serious cases, when the systematic nature of the scam becomes apparent, the conduct constitutes fraud and must be reported to law enforcement, in part to allow for the blocking of payment flows to the seller.
Prevention: Identifying High-Risk Sellers Before Paying
This scam thrives on decoy websites and fly-by-night sellers, and this is where prevention makes all the difference. Prices drastically below market value for highly sought-after products, the absence of a VAT number and a verifiable address, copied or poorly translated legal pages, and reviews that are all recent and all glowing are the classic signs of a store set up to last only a few weeks.
Before entering your card information on an unfamiliar website, it’s always a good idea to verify its reliability using analysis tools like those our association makes available to consumers for free through the ShopSicuro platform, which examines online stores and flags their risk profiles. A few seconds of verification can save you weeks of disputes.
Consumer Help Desk Contacts You can request our support for assistance. AECI is a consumer association highly specialized in resolving issues. We handle thousands of cases annually on this very topic. You can therefore entrust your case to our highly specialized experts. You can contact us by filling out the form below this article or by opening a TICKET in our support system (recommended).