u/Heavy-Future-1193

Hi everyone, I want to share my recent misadventure on AliExpress to help you avoid the same trap and explain how I beat their system (which, in fact, protects scammers).

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​I bought some power tools (an angle grinder and a battery) sold as originals from a well-known brand. The package arrives: obvious and dangerous fakes (the battery was even leaking fluid). I open a dispute, 100% sure I would win. The nasty surprise? AliExpress closes the case forcing me to return the items to China at my own expense to get a refund.

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​Why this request is unacceptable (and illegal):

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​Insane costs: International shipping is at your own expense, it costs almost as much as the product itself, and they won't refund it.

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​Recycling the scam: The scammer gets the fake item back and resells it to the next victim.

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​They force you to commit a crime: Knowingly shipping counterfeit goods across borders is international smuggling. Shipping batteries leaking chemical fluids heavily violates aviation safety regulations. During the dispute, I repeatedly pointed out to AliExpress that their own policies require local destruction of fakes, and that returning the package was illegal. They totally ignored my warnings, basically demanding that I break the law to get my money back.

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​How I got out of it (Use this strategy!):

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I used AI to handle the whole situation and it was a real game-changer.

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​Step 1: AI and the Original Brand. First, get your evidence. Using AI, I found the exact email addresses for the brand's technical support (both for my country and the European headquarters) and had the messages drafted for me. By sending photos and serial numbers, I got two official emails from the brand certifying in black and white that the items were counterfeit.

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​Step 2: The Dispute. Open the dispute on AliExpress and upload the emails from the brand as proof. Even if you know they will probably side with the seller and ask for a return, you need to go through this step. You must get the final screenshot of their absurd decision forcing the return at your expense. You'll need it for the next step.

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​Step 3: THE BANK CHARGEBACK. This is the ultimate weapon. I ignored AliExpress's bots, contacted my bank, and opened a chargeback claim for "counterfeit goods/fraud". By attaching the brand's official statements and AliExpress's illegal request, the bank forcibly withdrew the funds from the platform to refund me. Game over.

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​Step 4: Reporting to the Brand. Again, with the help of AI, I compiled the entire dispute into a PDF and forwarded it to the brand's legal team, formally reporting AliExpress's complicity in defending these scammers.

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​Never let their bots intimidate you, do not comply with illegal requests, and do not pay a single cent to send garbage back to China. Use technology and your bank to your advantage!

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​I hope this post saves someone's wallet. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.