Is this a scam?

[rowen]

Just received this via email from -
eu@sofirnlight.com
Have a look at the attached screenshot.
Russ

 

[rowen]

I did buy a torch from them a while ago

 

[hughtrimble]

It probably isn't a scam, rather it's their way of ramping up their products in Amazon's listings as on the face of it it looks like genuine purchases by customers.

I imagine if you go through with it, they may press heavily for an Amazon review from you, even if it's just a product rating. Again, it pushes their products higher up the listings.

 

[Broch]

There are a few 'order' scams going around. They rely on them having access of some sort to your purchase account. You order a product but you get one worth a lot more money (instead or as well as the item ordered). They contact you to ask if you are happy, you say no, you don't want the expensive product. They apologise, and say they will send a return label. The return label is for a totally innocent third party. You return it, they collect it, you still have to pay and they gain the item. This has been going around for a couple of years using expensive i-Phones from people like Vodafone.

Not saying this is one, but I would treat it with caution. The grammar mistakes in the post raise alarms to me.

If you take the next step and they ask for any Amazon account details, walk away.

 

[Jared]

Sofirn have accounts on various flashlight forums, like BLF, if you want to confirm it.

Sofirn

Where Frugal meets with Flashlight!

budgetlightforum.com

 

[kard133]

Maybe contact Sofirn directly from their legitimate homepage, see what they say?

 

[Pattree]

Agreed. If you suspect a scam contact the apparent supplier via a method/number that isn’t supplied by the suspect message.

If someone is returning your money, are they asking for account details that they should already have?

 

[Lean'n'mean]

"Buy it & we will refund you".......A quote from P. T. Barnum comes to mind.

 

[Chris]

Even if it wasn’t a scam, I am not going to give someone a ‘free’ review when they want me to buy it first and then refund me. Just send it, or leave me alone.

 

[Nice65]

It’s not a scam, I get a few of those and take them up on it. You can get some good stuff for free. It’s a bit of a faff, you need to send them a screenshot of your review once it’s visible on Amazon, but they’ll refund to your PayPal.

Generally you have to be very specific with the search terms, they will tell you what to type, and to screenshot the search. The review doesn’t have to be favourable, or detailed and long, just anything.

Best thing I’ve got, not from Sofirn, is a 4G enabled trail cam. What a game changer not having to go and check the thing manually. I used it in the loft to keep an eye on a rat trap, much better than having to climb up every day.

 

[hughtrimble]

I can't actually find that H25LR product on Amazon. I'd be really interested if it's a delisted page they send you a link to? That way maybe they're generating sales for it before it's made public, thereby appearing to make loads of sales the very instant it's made public (when actually those sales have been completed well in advance).

 

[Jared]

H25LR is pretty old budget model, probably trying to move old stock?

 

[Nice65]

I can't actually find that H25LR product on Amazon. I'd be really interested if it's a delisted page they send you a link to? That way maybe they're generating sales for it before it's made public, thereby appearing to make loads of sales the very instant it's made public (when actually those sales have been completed well in advance).

I’m not too sure of how the system is ‘massaged’, but the H25LR has been out for a while, 2022. TacticalGrizzly is one of the better reviewers, along the lines of Selfbuilt. It’s not an underhand thing that’s going on, it’s just marketing and business. He links to Amazon and says he got a freebie for a review. It’s how it works.

Sofirn D25LR Review – Best Budget Headlamp?

Contents Pricing & Availability What comes in the box? Design & Construction Size & Measurements User Interface Mode Chart Runtime Driver & Regulation Emitter & Beam Switch Carr…

tgreviews.com

But not finding it on Amazon is odd. Their store is Outdoor77, I’ll look a bit further at it because Google should be firing links to it right in my face and it isn’t.

 

[Nice65]

H25LR is pretty old budget model, probably trying to move old stock?

Yeah, there’s a massive BLF thread on what do people want to see in the next Sofirn headlight. The Amazon stores scatter the crumbs of old stock, its favourable for Amazon, Sofirn, and the customer.

 

[hughtrimble]

But not finding it on Amazon is odd. Their store is Outdoor77, I’ll look a bit further at it because Google should be firing links to it right in my face and it isn’t.

Looks like the H25LR is advertised in China (Ali Express) and that's sold as the D25LR on Amazon US and DE (presumably elsewhere in Europe too). There doesn't seem to be a UK version though.

Or is the D a newer version? Some of the adverts use the model names interchangeably!

 

[Jared]

Think they are the same.

H25LR(D25LR) Rechargeable Headlamp

Character: 1. High CRI White Deep Red Emitters: The D25LR headlamp utilizes dual LED Emitters. One of which is the LH351D 5000K CRI 90 High for a nice comfortable white beam. The other LED Emitter is the SST20-DR Red LED, which produces red light in the wavelength of 660nms which helps to...

www.sofirnlight.com