An Abuja-based communication specialist has detailed how Olufunke Collection, a Facebook vendor, failed to deliver the clothes she paid N70,000 for.

The communication specialist, who chose not to be named, told FIJ that she came across the vendor’s page while scrolling through Facebook this September.

When FIJ checked Olufunke Collection on Facebook, it showed that the vendor was based somewhere in Oyo State but no specific address was found.

“The page just popped up and there were displays of shoes, bags and clothes. They looked appealing. The owner of the page said she sold those items and I saw correspondences between her and people I assumed were customers,” the Abuja resident told FIJ.

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Even though the customer did her due diligence before sending Olufunke Collection N70,000 on September 7, she now has reasons to believe she was scammed.

The Abuja resident said she discovered that the handler was directing interested customers to her WhatsApp number to continue negotiations over the purchases.

“She had plenty materials on sale, and I looked at the date, dating back to one or two years and older. I saw that in some places, people were saying they were pleased with their purchases. That they received their goods in good quality,” this customer told FIJ.

“It was while the whole thing was unravelling that I really noticed that the customers’ reviews were just screenshots she uploaded from wherever. “

She said that, after the vendor directed her to send the pictures of her desired clothes via WhatsApp, the agreement was for the items to be delivered to her in Abuja on September 9, two days after the day of payment.

However, the purchased goods never arrived Abuja. FIJ learnt that Olufunke Collection kept postponing the delivery date, an action this communication specialist found suspicious and disconcerting.

“She initially advertised the clothes I indicated interest in for N15,000. But, without even prompting her, she said she was doing clearance sales and would sell it at N10,000 each,” she explained.

“I did not see it as a big deal because they were clothes from Turkey. So, the prices were just normal as far as I would say. She also said the courier fee had been billed into the N70,000.

“Probably, I should have known that there was something fishy there but, at the same time too, I thought about how much a courier would cost.

“When I asked for the mode of payment, she said I would pay before delivery. Again, it’s not as if that was out of place but, for somebody I had never patronised before, I should have been a bit more discreet. But I just trusted her for whatever reason.

“Then she sent an Access Bank account number (1806567690) with the name Funke K. Akinsowon and said I should pay twice into the same account. She said I should pay N40,000 and N30,000.

“She said it would be delivered last Saturday. When I messaged her after I did not get the delivery on Saturday, she said Monday.

“I messaged her again on Monday to ask her when I should expect my delivery, but then she said Wednesday. The delivery dates only shift after each enquiry.”

Seeing that the vendor was online on Monday, the Abuja resident called the number several times via WhatsApp but the person refused to answer the calls even though it was obvious they were online.

“The person messaged me, saying that it’s the salesgirl that was chatting to me. The person said the madam had travelled to Turkey. I said when I wanted to pay, the madam was alive and well; but when it comes to getting my delivery, I’m getting excuses.

“Then the person apologised and said pre-order usually takes time, that I would surely get my delivery. I said I wasn’t going to engage her again and that she only has two options: either she refunds my money or she delivers my supply. But I did not get any response.”

The customer said she reported the incident on Tuesday to Access Bank, since the account number she paid to was from the bank. While the bank assured her of its assistance, she was advised to involve the law enforcement agencies or get a court order and involve her own bank.

FIJ could not reach Olufunke Collection for comments as the phone number found on its Facebook page was switched off. The messages sent to the vendor via SMS and WhatsApp had also not been responded to at press time.

We equally sent an email to [email protected], the email address obtained on the Facebook page, but no response was received as well.

Meanwhile, FIJ’s findings showed that there was an existing clothing store with the name “Bryrubyfabrics”. FIJ gathered that the actual Bryruby Lace Fabrics had no affiliation with Olufunke Collection.

When this reporter contacted Bryruby to confirm whether it was affiliated with the Facebook vendor that had refused to deliver a customer’s package, the company said Olufunke Collection did not belong to them.

Bryruby told FIJ that its own clothing brand had a physical store in Lagos State, the company did not pressure potential customers to make payments online and customers were always urged to visit the store.

Also, Bryruby Fabrics said that its official email address was slightly different from the one on Olufunke Collection’s Facebook page. While the former’s email address is [email protected], the latter’s email address does not have an “s” after fabric.