Orlando woman tries to return Alo item. Then the worker tells her it was already returned to a Miami mall she’s never been to
Return fraud is making an appearance going into 2026, with fraudsters figuring out new and increasingly convoluted schemes to acquire goods from clothing stores, retailers, and e-commerce platforms.
Bia Schrim (@bia.schrim), a TikTok content creator, ran into a frustrating experience that left her filing a chargeback. Alo, a high-end workout and casual apparel store, left her without answers after she attempted to exchange a Chai-colored Foxy Sherpa Jacket. When she tried to make the exchange, store associates told her that a completely different person had already returned the item, alongside other merchandise, at a store more than 200 miles away.
Surprised, Schrim took to TikTok, posting about the scam in a video that has now surpassed 15,000 views as of Jan. 14.
What happened to Schrim’s Alo order, and why is this ‘Alo fraud’?
Schrim ordered multiple items from Alo, which arrived in the mail as expected. When she opened her packages, though, she realized she wanted to make some returns and exchanges.
She went to a store in Orlando and spoke to an incredibly kind representative, who unfortunately had to bear bad news. The store had already processed an exchange or return for the items and would not be able to do another one for her chai jacket.
“ So the representative… goes to pull up the order and tells me, proceeds to tell me that somebody went and already returned this chai latte jacket at their Aventura store, which is down in Miami,” Schrim stated.
The person at the Miami store also returned a pair of high-waist cargo pants in olive green, alongside two additional items. Schrim states that she would “never” have purchased these items, which indicated to her that something was amiss.
Schrim had never been to the Aventura location and had not been in Miami recently. A manager at the Orlando location stated they would report the incident to their loss prevention team, but there was little they could do for Schrim.
So, Schrim tried to seek the store’s help line.
What did Alo do?
Schrim called Alo’s help line, but ultimately, she was not able to exchange the items she had purchased at the store.
She asked whether they could call the other store and review footage from when the scammer made the return, as she was not even in Florida when the return was processed. Still, representatives from the company refused to try to verify the story or work with her.
She described the process as “ridiculous,” especially considering she knew she did not make the return. She discussed making a chargeback, given the issues she had with the company and the lack of support they offered.
Eventually, though, the company promised to assist, letting her know they would send a return label for the jacket. As of Jan. 11, however, Schrim has not received any labels to return her jacket, with the deadline to do so passing.
What scam is Schrim currently dealing with?
Schrim was able to predict what exactly happened to her online order in her video. While filming her TikTok clip, the woman said, “ You can tell that this person went to the Aventura store and returned… probably stolen items… Now I’m not able to return anything.”
Schrim further described the return in her comments section, saying, “It was purchased by my credit card online… Someone showed up in person to a store in Miami and exchanged the items I bought for [two] other items.”
Return fraud is unfortunately a common experience, although fraudsters usually use their own purchases to engage in scammy activities. Some scammers, however, will obtain barcodes, receipts, or identifiable information associated with other people’s purchases, usually through information leaks.
Based on her description, it seems as though Schrim encountered a particularly difficult-to-track case of return fraud. Someone most likely accessed information from her email address or another source of information. They then processed her return to exchange a stolen jacket for multiple items.
Scammers typically do this as a means of legitimizing merchandise. It makes it easier to sell on third-party platforms. Employees traditionally cannot reverse these transactions, making it a relatively easy and undetectable method of switching out merchandise.
What is the incentive to return fraud against other people?
Scammers are quick to notice when items retail for high prices. The Alo Yoga page lists the Foxy Sherpa jacket for $228. For that price, scammers can sell the jacket at significant, profitable margins.
Some resellers are selling the jacket for nearly $200 on platforms like eBay as of Jan. 14. Other prices range from $140–$180. For any reseller who got the item for “free” or by stealing it, that means the item nets 100+ in profit when excluding any additional shipping costs and fees.
But, in Schrim’s case, it appears as though the scammer returned a potentially stolen Foxy Sherpa jacket. Then, they exchanged it for real, alternative items that they kept or sold.
Is this a common issue with Alo orders?
This isn’t necessarily an ‘Alo’ fraud issue. Instead, it’s an issue within the e-commerce industry as a whole. Return fraud can happen with pretty much any company that has an online purchasing platform. It is becoming increasingly more prevalent for luxury retailers with high-end commodities.
But the way Alo approached Schrim’s concerns does appear to be common. Instead of assisting her and recognizing the fact that she may have been subject to return fraud, the company originally dismissed her. Then, they agreed to help, but dragged out the process of sending her a return label or actually helping with her return. Simply put, Alo ‘exhausted’ Schrim.
Commenters recounted that the company has “terrible customer service,” often placing responsibility on customers for anything that happens to their items once shipped.
@bia.schrim Alo store scam? #scam #psa #alo ♬ original sound – Bia
“For the price of their clothing you would expect better communication,” one commenter shared.
We’ve reached out to Schrim and Alo via email for comment.
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