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What you see on your screen isn’t always what you’ll end up getting delivered to your door. Online shopping continues to grow bigger and bigger, with e-commerce sales reaching a whopping 870 billion dollars in the United States in 2021. That’s a 14.2 percent increase compared to 2020 and a jaw-dropping 50.5 percent increase over 2019. However, with retail sales moving in the digital direction, there’s also more potential for getting scammed.

It’s vital that you do your research and check who you buy from when you’re shopping online. Otherwise, you’ll end up having spent your money on something that’s completely useless. Low quality? Try no quality instead. Our team here at Bored Panda has collected the most egregious examples of people having ordered something online only to receive something truly awful. So awful, in fact, that they couldn’t help but share the photos online.

Scroll down for the best of the worst. And if you’re feeling up for sharing, we’d love to hear if you’ve ever gotten tricked when ordering something off the internet, dear Pandas. Oh, and if you haven’t had your fill of laughter and quiet gasps of “oh no!”, then you should definitely check out our earlier lists about the top online shopping fails here and here.

We got in touch with Alan Castel, Ph.D., a UCLA psychology professor who studied scams for his book, ‘Better with Age: The Psychology of Successful Aging,’ and he shared with us how to tell if a deal looks fishy, how scams are always evolving but adhere to the same principles, and how scammers can target anyone. Read on to see what he told Bored Panda. And remember, if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is!

#1 I Bought A PS2 On eBay. Something Seems A Little Off

Image credits: grinsekatze

Dr. Castel was kind enough to tell us about some of the red flags to look out for when shopping online. “Look for anything that seems odd or unusual, such as repeated and rushed requests for personal information, spelling mistakes in the email or website address, the request to pay with gift cards, and the need to rush your decision and not ask questions,” he explained to Bored Panda.

“When in doubt, wait to respond or make a purchase, and verify information whenever possible with others. Anytime you are contacted unexpectedly, by email, text or by phone, you can stop the communication, and take time to verify information or ask someone else about it,” he said that it’s vital to take the time to do some research.

Dr. Castel agreed with us that scams are always changing, however, he added that they often follow the same principles, such as “establishing trust, manipulating emotions, rushing you to make a decision, asking for immediate action, and pretending to be a business or government service that requires your personal information.”

#2 The Shirt I Ordered vs. The Shirt I Received

Image credits: PollySmall89

#3 Waited A Month For This. Doggo Was Not Impressed

Image credits: offtherichter

Scammers might pose as family members in need of help or can pretend to be interested in someone romantically to build their trust over a long period of time.

“Often we learn about scams by talking to others that have experienced them, or have fallen for similar scams. Thus, I think communication is key here, and there are help and support groups for fraud victims. However, often people are embarrassed about talking about their experiences,” the UCLA professor implied that most people don’t like feeling like a fools, especially in their social circles.

“We are all susceptible to scams, regardless of experience or level of education, as they target people’s basic emotional needs or target us when we are not paying attention, and then prey on our basic emotional responses to threat or opportunity. We do need to have our guard up but also know that to err is human, and talking about these experiences will hopefully make more people aware of how scams are everywhere and always evolving.”

#4 Man Wanted To Know If Cake “Contains Eggs”

Image credits: kapildwasnik

#5 I Ordered The Wind Waker On eBay And The Description Said It Was Missing The Original Case. This Is What Arrived In The Mail

Image credits: BionicleGarden

#6 Garfield Without Lasagna

Image credits: miragonz

During an earlier interview, Dr. Castel explained to Bored Panda that nobody is immune to scams and that scammers target the vulnerable.

“Everyone and anyone is susceptible to scams, especially when we are placed in vulnerable positions, are being rushed, worried, or in an emotional state. While there is a stereotype that older adults are most likely to be scammed, people of all ages, and levels of education, can be a victim of fraud and scam,” he explained.

“Scammers know that people respond to social influences, especially to authority, and will use fear and friendliness to create a powerful situation that induces compliance,” Dr. Castel told us.

“In terms of trying to call out a scammer, you need to be careful how, when or why you would interact with scammers, as they often have access to your basic information, and talking to them more can make you a victim, especially if you share additional information about yourself,” the psychology professor warned.

#7 We Ordered A Grill. Got 300 iPads

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#8 Ordered A New Chlorinator For The Pool, The Instructions Came On VHS

Image credits: Yashkamr

#9 Ordered Eight Extra Large Shirts. Received Eight 8XL Shirts

Image credits: ch0ch32

“Scammers work with large volumes and databases, so often it is just a matter of time that someone is going to be caught in a scam. Some advice: Don’t answer the phone, don’t be rushed, don’t provide information, and don’t be afraid to hang up,” he said that we should do our best to protect our private information.

#10 I Ordered A Box Of Tampons From CVS And They Sent Me These

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#11 My 1200 Page Loose-Leaf Book Arrived A Little More Loose Than I Was Expecting

Image credits: ShadowsWandering

#12 Wife Ordered A Fake Predator Lawn Deterrent For Our Geese Problem Without Checking The Dimensions

Image credits: Kaltastic84

It might feel like you have to ‘act now’ when you spot a good deal while surfing the net, but it’s healthy to take a step back, calm down, and think about things rationally. Don’t fall prey to impulsive spending. What’s more, take the time to actually do a bit of research about the product and—more importantly—about the seller. It takes a bit of patience, but even a simple background check can help you spot someone who’s suspicious and might be trying to take advantage of you.

#13 The Rolling Stoner – Thanks, Amazon

Image credits: Soakd

#14 The Pizza Shop Promised Light And Airy Crust. It Was So Light And Airy That It Was Invisible

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#15 Ordered One Brussel Sprout Instead Of 1 Kg. Need To Cut It Into Four To Go Round

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“I think online shopping scams are different because you lose that layer of dealing with a real-life person. When you have a real person in front of you, a typical person will feel shame or guilt at the thought of taking advantage of a person,” one of the moderators from the r/Scams subreddit told Bored Panda that the people trying to pull the wool over others’ eyes have an easier time when they’re not doing it face to face.

#16 The Mask I Ordered (Left) vs. The Mask I Got (Right)

Image credits: the_nerd_dad

#17 I Ordered A Ben 10 Action Figure And I Got A Used Baby Sock Instead

Image credits: Beautiful_Fishing569

#18 Ordered A New VR Headset From Amazon And Instead Got £5 Of Office Supplies

Image credits: Penquuu

“With the internet, you aren’t dealing with a person, but a username and avatar. It is much easier to act maliciously when you don’t have a real victim directly in front of you,” they explained that the distance makes it easier for the scammers not to view their marks as actual people.

#19 My Sister Ordered And Requested A Mirror With A Custom Name On It And Requested That The Name On The Bag Would Be “Same Like On The Mirror”

Image credits: TomerHorowitz

#20 Friend Of Mine Ordered A Bamboo Online, Today It Arrived In All Its Glory

Image credits: One_TAIM

#21 How My New Computer Just Got Delivered

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“Online scams also use a lot of tricks to pressure buyers; low prices, pushes to buy now!, taking advantage of someone’s kindness or naivete (re: advance check fraud, money mules, etc), or advertising one product and sending another (or nothing at all, by using a fake tracking number),” they shared.

#22 I Am Not Groot

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#23 $49 Electronics Mystery Box

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#24 I’m Highly Disappointed With The Cake I Got. It Was Supposed To Be This And This Is What We Got

Now she won’t respond to me or check her messages. Thanks for screwing up my son’s 16th birthday party!

Image credits: chasity.tilman

“Getting a person to make a decision via high-pressure tactics and preventing them from reflecting and making a sound decision is key,” the mod said that scammers pressure online shoppers to get them to act impulsively.

#25 Neighbor Got A New Candle

Image credits: GamerZWorld_YT

#26 Ordered An Apple Watch For My Sister For Christmas

Somewhere between being shipped and being delivered to her someone opened the package, took the watch and strap, then sealed the whole thing back up.

Image credits: ravens_revenge

#27 I Ordered Shoes To Wear At My Wedding Next Month And Was So Excited To Try Them On. Until I Opened The Box

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“If a deal is too good to be true, it is. If you see a pair of brand new Apple AirPods advertised for $50, you are not getting an authentic product. There are many counterfeit items out there on the market, and you need to verify authenticity before hitting buy,” they said.

#28 Received These Size 12 Badminton Shoes From Amazon. They Look Like A 7 And Fit In My Palm

Image credits: StoneCold_SA

#29 Ordered Myself Some New Boots, Size 4 And These Came

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#30 Brand New TV From Amazon Delivered By FedEx. The FedEx Driver Came Twice And Rang The Doorbell And Basically Ran To His Truck And Left

On the second day, I had to run after him to get the tv. I unpack the tv and plug it in and this is what I get.

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“Not only to avoid contributing to the counterfeit market, but because these knockoff products do not always go through the same safety standards of the real item; they may not be UL certified, they may use chemicals or ingredients that are not FDA approved and are unsafe for use on or in the human body, or could cause major harm to human life or property,” they warned that it might not just be your money at stake, but also your life.

#31 My Mother Ordered A Fall Wreath From A Facebook Ad. Weeks Later, A Tiny Package From China Showed Up

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#32 What I Ordered From Amazon vs. What I Received

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#33 What I Ordered vs. What I Got

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#34 Ordered Alexander McQueen Shoes, Got Already MoQdshn Shoes

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#35 I Ordered A New Watch Band And This Is What Amazon Sent Me

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#36 Thanks, Amazon UK, For Sending Me The Indian Flag When I Ordered The Irish Tricolor For St. Patrick’s Day

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#37 Mum Got Duped Online Shopping And Bought This Tiny Chair. Guess It’s Mine Now

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#38 So We Were All Excited To Open Up This Pool Thinking It Was At Least 6 Ft Wide, Like The Advertisement Said

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#39 A Series Of Unfortunate Events

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#40 What I Bought vs. What I Got. Yeah, These Are Not The Same

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#41 Ordered A Travelling Bag And Received A Mini Box For Dolls

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#42 Ordered (Boneless) Wings For The Big Game. Only Three Were Not Completely Raw. It Was $76 And DoorDash Refuses To Give Us A Refund

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#43 So, This Is What I Ordered From Aliexpress. What Was I Thinking

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#44 Paid $31 In Shipping Costs To Ship A Discontinued Crystal Picture Frame

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#45 Ordered A Loveseat From IKEA. Apparently, Someone Pulled Up The Parts List And Sent Me One Of Each

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#46 Store Manager Said We Should Fluff The Branches More

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#47 My Husband Ordered This For Our Daughter Who Loves The Labyrinth

The picture on the left is the website description, the picture on right is what we just received in the mail.

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#48 A Hat Would Have Pulled It All Together

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#49 Anti-Fog Shower Mirror Came Pre-Fogged. And Broken

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#50 I Still Got Compliments On It Tho But Mostly Gave People The Creeps

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#51 I Ordered An Eyeshadow Palette Online And This Is What Arrived. Completely Unusable

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#52 Customer Returned This Because She Thought She Ordered A Full-Size Stool

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#53 I’m Not Sure My Mum Should Be Allowed To Shop On eBay. She Was Looking For A Sieve And Thought She Found A Bargain For A Pack Of 3

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#54 Peppa Will Grow Into It

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#55 Had Vodka Delivered. It Still Has The Security Tag On It So I Can’t Open It

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#56 My Mom Thought She’d Ordered A Carton Of Cigarettes Online

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#57 Ordered Walmart Delivery And They Couldn’t Get Me Stir Fry Sauce So They Substituted It For A Can Of Beef Ravioli

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#58 Amazon Sent Me A Used Beats Headphone That Someone Swapped And Returned

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#59 Ordered A Glass 250 ml Beaker Off Amazon. It Came In An Envelope

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#60 Got My Magneto Helmet From Amazon

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#61 Ordered A Galaxy Tab S6 On Amazon, Delivery Was 1 Day Late And Received This Instead

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#62 Ordered A Box Of Baby Wipes And Got 14 Cartons Of Cigs As Packing Material

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#63 Bought A Microscope On Amazon. Box Arrived Missing The Microscope

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#64 Ordered A Pair Of New Headphones From Amazon. Got A Returned Pair With Some Stranger’s Ear Gunk

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#65 Someone At USPS Tried To Fold My Package With A Rare Record Inside It, $100 Gone And Now One Less Of Them In The World

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#66 Ordered 32 Gb Of Ram On Amazon. Got A Hair Tie Instead

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#67 What I Ordered For Mother’s Day vs. What Arrived. At Least Mom Had A Good Sense Of Humor About It

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#68 Ordered 16 Gb Of Ram And Got Sent 160 Gb

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#69 Bro, I Ordered The Jordan 1 Heritage But Nike Sent Me An Empty Box They Refunded Me But I’m Still Mad Cause I Can’t Get Them Anymore

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#70 What I Ordered vs. What I Got. Disrespectful To The Undertaker

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#71 DoorDashed “The Meltdown”. What I Ordered vs. What I Got. I Paid Like $35 For 2 Of These

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#72 I Ordered DoorDash From A Local Burrito Place. Got Our Order, As Well As About 2 Lb Raw Beef

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#73 I Ordered Scarlet Of eBay For My GF And Got Whatever This Is Instead. I Knew The Price Was Too Good To Be True

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#74 Ordered Myself 5 Balls Of Wool So I Can Start Practicing Crotchet Again And Get A Blanket Made. I Don’t Think I Am Getting A Blanket Somehow

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#75 For Mother’s Day, I Ordered Flowers For My Mom. Got A Box Of Tree Branches

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#76 Words I Never Thought I Would Have To Say To A Customer: “I’m Not Sure Why It Says Meow And No, The Film You Bought On Amazon Shouldn’t Come Preloaded With Cats On It”

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#77 We Ordered 1 Tesla Model 3 Steering Wheel. They Sent 2 And Packed Them With 144 Children’s Toothbrushes. 12 Packs Of 12

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#78 Bought Some Toilet Paper On eBay Didn’t Notice The Size

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#79 Wife Ordered A New Screen Protector, Right Out Of The Box

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#80 When You Buy Jeans Online At Kohl’s

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#81 I Ordered 1 Pound Of Mushrooms From Amazon Fresh. I Got 1 Mushroom, In Its Own Little Baggie

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#82 A Month Ago I Ordered My Daughter A Peeps Pillow That Was Supposed To Be Large Enough To Actually Use To Sleep On

It was also supposed to be here for a Christmas Present. I actually completely forgot about it until this gem arrived today.

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#83 The Picture Of The Flatbread Pizza On The Online Menu vs. What Was Delivered. Room Service In An Expensive Chicago Hotel

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#84 My “Inspected” Batteries From Amazon

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#85 Thanks, Amazon – A Thinly Padded Envelope Is A Great Way To Ship A Glass Jar Of Yeast

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#86 Eclipse Absolute Zero 100% Blackout Window Curtains vs. What You Actually Get

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#87 What Was Advertised vs. What We Got

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#88 My 200.00$ Dress

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#89 My Brother Had 2 Jars Of Nutella Delivered From Amazon. Something Tells Me The Bubble Wrap Wasn’t Quite Enough

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#90 This New Garfield Plush That I Just Purchased For My Dog

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#91 I Ordered Two 1 Kg Chocolate Bunnies From The UK

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#92 What I Ordered vs. What I Got

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#93 My Mom Bought This Charger And Keychain

They never specified how big the keychain will be, and it was a tiny wooden ball wrapped in a lot of paracords that is the same color as the charger to make the charger look longer in the package.