California Depop seller receives return request for $125 jacket. Then she sees what the customer sent back. Now she’s warning sellers about ‘Gabby’
Depop is full of people selling and buying a variety of secondhand clothing. Consider it a digital thrift shop where you can find vintage, designer, rare, and so much more at your fingertips. Like any online platform, there are scammers masquerading as normal consumers lurking at every corner. California-based seller Alaina Tomlinson (@alaina.tomlinson) claims she was scammed by a buyer named “Gabby.”
“I got scammed by a Depop buyer,” she shares in the text overlay.
“I’m literally shaking out of anger,” she says into her wireless mic, her other hand visibly trembling. “I don’t make videos like this but someone named Gabby Curiel tried me today.”
From there, the content creator dives into her story. “I sold this one of a beautiful jacket to her for approximately $125, which is a very fair price,” she says, gesturing to a photo of the tanned Y2K Suede Patchwork Jacket with Fur. “Genuine Suede, genuine leather. I got the zipper replaced and the seam fixed.”
What Went Wrong With This Depop Order?
“She claims there were flaws that weren’t mentioned,” Tomlinson recalls, despite begging to differ. “She wanted a partial refund, I said no. Depop asked for a partial refund, I said no.” Instead, she agrees to refund the money and receive the jacket back. However, the seller is in for a loop once she opened the package.
“I [got] the package today,” she says, shaking a different jacket out of the bag. “Does this look like that jacket to you?”
When the buyer pulls it out, she unveils a burgundy and black-patterned Orvis Men’s Pile Fleece Jacket. Upon investigation, Tomlinson wasn’t the only victim of Gabby’s swindling.
“I go to her reviews, she has been scamming people, getting them to ship her stuff, ruining it, and sending it back or not sending it back at all,” she reveals. “Why Depop didn’t check this before they sent it back to me, God knows.”
The content creator warns before wrapping up, “If she buys something from you, cancel the order.”
The situation boils Tomlinson’s blood to the point where she puts Depop on blast. “@Depop I better be getting my money back!!!!! This has never happened to me before and it’s sooo disappointing when ppl steal from small businesses!!!!” she vents in the caption, tagging the online site.
Viewers Were Livid
The video racked up over 523,000 views. Many sided with Tomlinson, furious on her behalf.
“Omg make sure the weights are the same! Depop should side with you if it’s off! Wtf,” one viewer commented.
“Depop is literally the worst. They need a better system and team. I’m sorry this happened to you!” another said.
“Depop does NOT protect its sellers. Or buyers sometimes? I genuinely don’t know whose side they’re on. Try to report it to your bank!” a third stated.
Moreover, others revealed the incident is why they swore off Depop.
“This exact same thing happened to me – I never sold on depop again!’ one commenter recalled.
“depop is literally the worst. I stopped selling on depop and customer service is horrible,” a second echoed.
What Happened Next?
In a follow-up video, Tomlinson provides an update on the Gabby debacle.
“I got my money back but now I’m worried about you guys because [Gabby] is still on Depop,” she says. “[Changed] her name multiple times. I think it says ‘Vanessa’ now.”
How the online marketplace has dealt with the incident has disheartened her. “I’m honestly a little bit disappointed in Depop. I’ve been a verified seller for almost two years and this kind of stuff happens all the time,” she says. “In this instance, she gets to keep the item, she still gets to remain on Depop, and she got the item for free cause she was refunded.”
“Beware of Gabby or Vanessa or whichever her name is from California because she might try to scam you,” the content creator warns.
How Do People Scam On Depop?
Depop may suspend or deactivate accounts for breaking Terms of Service, repeated violations and fraudulent behaviors. Of course, this doesn’t stop scammers from creating fake profiles to prey on unsuspecting victims. Since this has become common, ABC Radio Brisbane lists the signs to watch out for:
- Moving conversations off the platform to other apps
- Requesting to pay from a third-party service
- Contacts made from other social media accounts
- Asking for personal information
@alaina.tomlinson @Depop I better be getting my money back!!!!! This has never happened to me before and it’s sooo disappointing when ppl steal from small businesses!!!! #depop #depopseller #vintagereseller #igotscammed #fyp ♬ original sound – alainatomlinson
The Mary Sue reached out to Tomlinson via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment as well as Depop via press email.
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