# How did I get duped? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 24, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458 "2025-04-24T21:34:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/1 "2025-04-24T21:34:55Z")
For some time I have wanted a periodic table with tiny pieces of real elements to display. Last month I saw an online ad for one so I shopped around. I settled on this particular one because it was a nice large size 8" (200mm). It took forever to get here because I did not realize from the ad that it was coming from China. It has changed hands between importers, shipping companies, customs, airports etc for a month but it finally got here. But what a disappointment. It is not real elements embedded in clear plastic. It is a clear plastic rectangle with a single large decal stuck on the back with drawings of the elements. Looking closely it does not match the photo in the ad at all. And it looks like it will get damaged very easily. I re-read the description carefully and it does state “_ **Elements cast in crystal clear acrylic** _” . The URL itself declares “real elements”. What do you think? > **[🔥Periodic Table Of Elements🔥](https://www.rentastores.com/products/periodic-table?&)** > > 🔥Periodic Table Of Elements🔥 | ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/2 "2025-04-24T21:40:26Z")
You got duped. That is definitely clear acrylic on the web site, although I can’t speak to the authenticity of the embedded elements. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/3 "2025-04-24T21:42:56Z")
More ‘screwed’ than ‘duped,’ IMHO, but … yeah. I’m sorry. That sort of thing never feels good. ---
**Author:** ![MacDoc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/macdoc/32/18696_2.png) [@MacDoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacDoc)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/4 "2025-04-24T21:46:04Z")
I’ve come to rely on Paypal to preserve me from similar. I apparently am gullible. 🤪 🦘 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/5 "2025-04-24T21:56:03Z")
How does Paypal enter into this kind of situation? ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/6 "2025-04-24T22:08:41Z")
Just as a weird aside, I checked the OP link. It said “Hurry, just **3513** left in stock”. I thought, that’s not a very good way to drum up business. Why isn’t the number just 2 or 3, no matter how many they actually have, to give a sense of urgency? Then as I watched, the in stock number started steadily _increasing_. After about a minute, it was well over 3800 in stock. WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/7 "2025-04-24T22:10:38Z")
PayPal gives you an opportunity to ask for a chargeback. > **[Solving problems with a PayPal purchase](https://www.paypal.com/fk/webapps/mpp/security/buyer-protection-resolution)** > > Learn how to resolve a problem with a PayPal purchase. Then again, so do most banks. If you can prove that you were ripped off (and that doesn’t seem hard in this situation), they can help make it right, as long as you don’t wait to do so and follow their instructions. I was similarly ripped off probably around 15 years ago with an online ad, where I was automatically signed up to something when I made a different purchase, and they wouldn’t let me cancel the subscription or request a refund for the product I never purchased in the first place. (I bought some exercise equipment and for some reason that signed me up for some piece of garbage thing where once a month I get a dollar bill that someone stamps a picture onto.) I ended up getting all my money back from my bank in the end, thank goodness, and the subscription stopped. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/8 "2025-04-24T22:15:37Z")
It’s certainly misleading but I don’t see where in says “Real Elements”. The most egregious statement is “Astonishing collection of 83 samples making up our universe”. I think they are probably _technically_ within the bounds of legality. ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/9 "2025-04-24T22:16:47Z")
The ad is definitely deceiving. Given the price shown ($29.99), I would have doubted that it contained “gold, silver, platinum, or uranium.” ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/10 "2025-04-24T22:25:38Z")
Returns 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/11 "2025-04-24T22:29:44Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Just as a weird aside, I checked the OP link. It said “Hurry, just **3513** left in stock” **5482** twenty minutes later. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/12 "2025-04-24T22:32:14Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > The most egregious statement is “Astonishing collection of 83 samples making up our universe”. That “egregious statement” is fraud. It’s a sticker, there are no samples of anything. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/13 "2025-04-24T22:33:03Z")
The sticker has to be made from _something_. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/14 "2025-04-24T22:39:04Z")
For me the biggest clincher is this: [![](https://cdn.wshopon.com/image/2023/01/d86460e6164fcb39817dcbcf4345ad2b5bee7fadf18aefdfab292437a46b9177.gif) ](https://cdn.wshopon.com/image/2023/01/d86460e6164fcb39817dcbcf4345ad2b5bee7fadf18aefdfab292437a46b9177.gif) You can clearly see stuff inside acrylic. If you get something that just has a sticker in the back, that’s a classic example of false advertising, and isn’t legal in the US (I assume that’s where you reside, I might be wrong). So hopefully your financial institute will help you remedy this if you don’t want to just eat the $30 and not bother going through the motions. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/15 "2025-04-24T23:29:15Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > The sticker has to be made from _something_. But, is that “something” on the periodic chart? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/16 "2025-04-24T23:30:20Z")
If it’s not, it’s worth a lot more than $30. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/17 "2025-04-25T00:06:28Z")
Can I interest you in a pet Sea Monkeys? I always say if its too good to be true its probably fake. But, yeah we’ve all gotten scammed. This is the danger not seeing and examining before you buy. Such a 21st century problem. Do you have any recourse through your CC or customer service? (BTW…_“dupe”_ means something different these days.) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/18 "2025-04-25T00:10:36Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > So hopefully your financial institute will help you remedy this if you don’t want to just eat the $30 and not bother going through the motions. I’m concerned that a dishonest vendor has the OP’s card/payment details. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/19 "2025-04-25T00:20:25Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I’m concerned that a dishonest vendor has the OP’s card/payment details. Also a legitimate concern. If I remember properly, after my bank helped me years ago they also sent me a new card. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458/20 "2025-04-25T00:24:50Z")
Definitely duped. But [at least you didn’t get stung by a bunch of bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-careful-what-you-buy-off-ebay/414240). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-duped/1017458.md?page=2)