Which? warns of air conditioner scams amid heatwave demand
UKPulse Local Desk
Consumer group Which? is alerting shoppers to fraudulent online offers for air conditioning units, with reports of non-existent products and unauthorised charges.
- Which? has warned about fake and non-existent air-conditioning units being sold online.
- The retailer 'Picadex' is cited, with customers reporting not receiving products or items not as described.
- Complaints include unauthorised card charges and orders taking weeks to arrive, sometimes from China.
Consumer group Which? has issued a warning to shoppers regarding fraudulent online offers for air conditioning units. The alert comes as demand for these units remains high during ongoing heatwaves, with scammers reportedly capitalising on the situation.
Which? has highlighted an online retailer currently operating as 'Picadex'. Customers have reported issues such as not receiving ordered items, products not matching descriptions, and unauthorised charges to their cards. Some customers have reportedly spent around £500 and received nothing.
Investigations by Which? into Picadex found discrepancies, including a claimed 4.9-star Trustpilot rating that was actually 1.3 stars. The company's advertised Birmingham warehouse address was found to belong to another business, and imagery on its website appeared to be AI-generated. There is also an active proposal on Companies House to strike off the company.
Why this matters: Consumers seeking to purchase air conditioning units during heatwaves are at risk of losing money to fraudulent online retailers.
What this means for you: If you have paid for a fraudulent order by debit card, you may be able to claim a refund through a chargeback. For credit card payments over £100, you could make a Section 75 claim. Scam websites can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre or Report Fraud.