IMPORTANT NOTICE

In mid-August, bad actors from overseas pirated a handful of product photos from the Hand Carved Antler Jewelry section of my site (all pieces that had sold 8/15/25). They also stole photos of me personally, along with information from my site and used it to create webpages where they were "selling" my antler art pieces. These sites advertised a "Hot fire sale-49% off" and had them priced between $17-$25. See photo below for example. These individuals also stole my social media videos, and were using them in ads on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Youtube to funnel people to these illigitmate sites, where people were mislead into believing that they were purchasing from a female artist located in Texas.

EXAMPLE OF FRAUDULENT WEBSITE-THEY ALL LOOKED LIKE THIS

All of these sites were fraudulent. I only sell through my official website TheAntleredDoe.com. I have no authorized resellers, I do not offer wholesale, I do not sell on Amazon or Whatsapp, and I never privately message anyone on any socials.

So what happened after someone purchased from these sites?

People who purchased from these sites likely received fake tracking information from somewhere overseas-mainly China. The packages never get delivered and they unfortunately received nothing. You will notice that your package will get "stuck" somewhere and not move for weeks. If you reach out and are lucky enough to get a response from these sites, they will "resend" your ring and send a new fake tracking number. There is a chance, however, that people may receive a plastic, sloppily made replica of my work as shown below. I am not associated with any of these websites and am in no way responsible for their actions.

Cheap plastic replicas

If you fell victim to their shenanigans-don't panic! You can get your money back and here's how:

If you paid with Paypal:

Open a PayPal dispute

Log in to PayPal → Activity → Find the transaction → Fight/Resolve → Dispute this transaction.

Choose the appropriate reason, e.g., “Unauthorized transaction” or “Item not as described / not delivered.”

Provide a clear narrative: you never received the item, or it was not as described; attach evidence (screenshots, ad link, messages, proof of non-delivery).

Timeline and expectations

PayPal typically requires you to file within 180 days of the transaction, but act quickly for better odds.

PayPal may ask you to escalate to a claim if the seller doesn’t respond satisfactorily.

If the dispute becomes a claim

When prompted, convert the dispute to a claim and upload all evidence:

Ad link and merchant details

Transaction ID, screenshots of commitment vs. delivery

Messages showing unresponsiveness or misrepresentation

-Use this article as evidence that it was fraudulent!

If you paid with a credit card

Immediate steps

1) Contact your card issuer right away

Call the customer service number on the back of your debit card (or use your online banking app).

Tell them you were scammed via a Facebook ad and that you want to file a chargeback for a fraudulent or non-delivered purchase.

Provide: merchant name, transaction date, amount, and evidence that the item/service was not delivered or not as described.

Ask for a “fraud” or “card not present/unauthorized” chargeback if applicable. Some banks use special codes; follow their instructions.

2) Follow the bank’s chargeback process

You’ll likely need to submit a written dispute and copies of evidence (screenshots, chats, receipts).

Some banks require you to wait a short period before initiating a chargeback; start as soon as you have solid evidence.

If the merchant is a legitimate business, the bank may still issue a chargeback if the service wasn’t delivered or was misrepresented. Use this post as evidence that it was fraud!

3) If the bank charges back, monitor the case

Request status updates and any reference numbers.

Be prepared to provide additional information if the issuer asks.

If the chargeback is denied or delayed

Ask for escalation:** Request a supervisor or fraud specialist review your case.

Provide stronger evidence:** In your submission, clearly demonstrate non-delivery or misrepresentation (screenshots of ads, order confirmations that show “delivered” status but you didn’t receive anything, messages demanding payment with no follow-through).

Consider a police report:** Some banks require or appreciate an official police report for certain fraud cases.

What to avoid

Don’t delay the chargeback request; time limits vary by issuer.

Don’t provide more money or gift cards to the scammer (this often makes recovery harder).

Don’t rely on email alone; keep a clear trail with dates, references, and screenshots.

Things you can say to your bank

When contacting your bank (phone or secure message):

“Hello, I would like to file a chargeback for a debit card purchase I made on [date] for [amount] from merchant [name]. The transaction was for a product/service advertised on Facebook, but I did not receive the item, and the seller has not fulfilled the order. I have attached evidence (screenshots, ad link, chat logs). Please guide me through the dispute process and advise on required documents.”

This is happening to tons of small businesses all over the US right now. Please be sure to check over websites carefully before hitting purchase. If a site is "selling" handmade goods plus a bunch of other random items, it is a red flag. If you see an ad for something handmade or unique that you like, a quick search on instagram or tiktok for the item you are looking for (example Hand carved antler rings) will likely pull up the true maker and business.