Playasia
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SCAMMERS, FRAUDULENT PRACTICES
I bought 2 games in the same order on the 12th of February, which I received on the 7th of March. One of the games they sent was not what I ordered: it was a different version from the one that was advertised in the listing and which I bought. They were falsely advertising a particular version of that game which I ordered and paid 65.73€ for and they sent me a different version I would have never bought otherwise. I contacted them and let them know what I consider a fair resolution: either send the correct version that was in the listing, which I ordered, or fully refund the 65.73€ I paid for the game. They replied and acknowledged and admitted the false advertising and that they sent the wrong item and told me "We can give you $5 store credit as an act of goodwill" (framing it as if they're doing me a favor or something) - essentially forcing me into buying the wrong item they sent and also coercing me into buying from them again, to use the store credit. That is absolutely insulting. I told them that is unacceptable and to proceed to refund the 65.73€ I paid. They said "You can send the wrong item back and AFTER we get it, we can refund 53€ which is the 'product cost'. We can cover the return shipping" (presenting as an offer the bare minimum of covering the return shipping for their mistake). So basically, they want me to lose 12.73€ of the 65.73€ I paid. I will have no game, and on top of that, they want to keep part of my money, 12.73€ of what I paid. So they are trying to pocket the amount of 12.73€ I paid for VAT for the game. When a transaction is refunded, the VAT paid must also be refunded, keeping the VAT for a transaction that is not valid and not completed is ILLEGAL. Keeping the VAT from a refunded transaction is ILLEGAL. So I called them out on it, that it is illegal, and they said the VAT is collected by the government and they do not keep it. And to send the wrong item back, they will refund 53€ and they will add $10 store credit. Same as above, store credit is not a refund - it is a trick to keep you stuck into buying from them again. By the way, when refunding an item not as described, the refund must be in the original payment method and not as store credit unless the consumer has explicitly agreed to it. If they haven't agreed to it, forcing store credit is also illegal. I called them out on it again pointing out that the government keeps VAT for a COMPLETED transaction - they do not keep VAT for a NON-EXISTENT product. This time I gave them an ultimatum to refund the full amount of 65.73€ directly into my PayPal account until the 2nd of April, 11:30 PM HKT or I will be filing a PayPal dispute. They completely ignored me and simply repeated the same exact nonsense "We want to assure you that we are not attempting to withhold any VAT unlawfully" - a blatant lie - just because you say so it doesn't make it true. "Our refund process is conducted in accordance with applicable regulations." - vague serious-sounding word salad that in reality doesn't mean anything. "Send it back, 53€ refund, $10 store credit". I should also add that sending the wrong item back, especially in a case of false advertising, should never be a requirement - it should be at the customer's discretion whether they want to send it back or not - why should the consumer be inconvenienced at all for their mistake? It is absurd and unethical to hold the customer's money hostage before they issue a refund for something that is entirely their fault and their responsibility. Of course, there is absolutely zero guarantee they will actually refund any money at all after they get the wrong item back. They can very easily completely ignore me after that since at that point they will have both the wrong item and my money in their hands. I replied to issue the refund immediately to my PayPal account and after it has been confirmed we can discuss the return of the wrong item at my convenience with a prepaid shipping label provided by them. They completely ignored me. They count on people who are not familiar with the law and their consumer rights buying into their polished reasonable-sounding deceit. They repeat the same things over and over again to wear you out and to mentally exhaust you so you will not want to deal with the situation anymore and give up. They also try to stall you so you will lose the window during which you can file a dispute on PayPal. Play-asia is a shady business that wants to scam you out of your money. From the bottom of my heart, I am telling you: STAY AWAY from them, STAY AWAY from Play-asia.