Unfortunately, not all online stores are reputable. Over time, the UK wig market has become challenging for both legitimate wig websites and consumers, with fraudulent wig companies putting up their best fight to fool wig-wearers.
In this blog, we’ll discuss why it’s become trickier to identify scam wig companies online, how you can tell if a site is fraudulent, and some wig sites to avoid at all costs.
Why Has it Become Difficult to Identify Scam Wig Sites?
Similar prices: Many cheaper, poorer-quality wig companies have started to raise their prices to a point where they fall in the same price range as wig sellers like Simply Wigs. Ultimately, this price shift has created some confusion for customers, as suspiciously low price points used to be a key indicator of inferior products. Now, consumers can’t always judge the quality of a wig on its price alone. Furthermore, with prices being so similar, consumers often confuse higher-priced established wig companies for scammers.
Similar visuals: It has become harder to differentiate sites, especially as fraudulent ones have started mimicking the web design and images used on the best legitimate wig websites. Appearance has further blurred the lines between good and bad wig sites and increased consumers’ wariness to shop online.
What Do Scam Wig Companies Do?
Scam wig companies are deceitful groups or individuals who use the front of being a reputable wig company. Some of them look almost indistinguishable from legitimate companies.
They scam customers in a variety of ways:
Keep reading to the end to see a list of scam wig companies reported to us to make sure you don’t buy from a known fraud!
How to Tell Legit Wig Sites from the Fake
So, how do you know if you’re shopping online at a legitimate wig company?
The problem with fraudulent websites is that they can look so convincing when they pose as top-rated wig companies. However, there are tell-tale signs to look out for. These include:
The first thing you should do is search for the company’s name, with the word ‘reviews’ – for example, ‘ewigs reviews’. Some guidance to check that reviews are real includes:
– Don’t look at reviews on the website itself. If you have any doubts about a company, make sure you check the reviews on an independent site like REVIEWS.io and Trustpilot. The company can put anything they like on their own website! For example, Ewigs has over 4,000 reviews on their website and every single one is four or five stars, but if you look at review sites, the majority are only one or two stars.
– Pay attention to negative reviews. While most sites will have some negative reviews, seeing what people are complaining about can give you a better idea of what you’re dealing with. Look for trends among negative reviews – if lots of reviewers found they never received a product, or received a different product than they expected, it’s not an isolated incident.
– Pictures and videos. We love seeing our beautiful customers wearing their creations and we encourage people to take pictures in their wigs to send to us or attach to reviews. Scam companies aren’t usually likely to take the time to find homemade footage or pictures, and many scam sites use poorly rendered images (so they might be blurry or look stretched).
Can you find any contact information about the page? Often, scam wig companies will just have a contact form, and maybe a phone number or email address. Reputable wig sellers should have a full address available (which companies pretending to be based in the UK won’t have), and often, you’ll be able to contact them via social media as well.
A good rule of thumb when shopping online is ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is’ – if you’ve found a wig that retails at £200 being sold for £20, there’s likely there’s something else at play!
We’re not suggesting that you run every website through a grammar checker before you buy, but if the content on the site is stilted, unclear or poorly written, that should wave a red flag.
When you click on a new website, your browser will tell you if the site is secure or not with a little padlock symbol. If the site is not secure, you should avoid spending any money with the company, as your information will not be safe!
If you’re unsure if a company is legitimate, you can always check with Companies House. All limited companies in the UK must be registered with Companies House and it will provide you with the director’s name(s) and the company’s history. If they’re not registered, that means that they don’t have a physical shop or office in the UK.
If you have bought a wig and you are unsure about its quality, be aware of a chemical smell. This smell appears when the natural hair colour has been stripped out of the wig in order for it to be chemically dyed to a different range of colours. The stripping of the colour also strips away the hair quality, leaving you with a substandard wig.
Back in 2014, Emma appeared on Radio 4’s consumer affairs programme, You & Yours, to discuss the trend of disreputable wig companies trading online to UK customers. Listen as Emma shares a customer story and some caring and helpful advice, explaining how non-UK wig companies are cloning trustworthy wig websites and using .co.uk addresses to fool customers into thinking they are reliable websites.
Listen to the interview now » (STARTING POINT 26mins 32secs)
What to Look for in Reliable Wig Companies
So what are the green flags? What can you look for in a company that is worth your custom?
Scam Wig Companies to Avoid
IMPORTANT: These companies have been reported to us as being scams. Please let us know if you have encountered these companies or any others so we can continue supporting other wig-wearers.
Customers have pointed out these companies to be aware of:
- Ciciwigs.com
- Ewigs.co.uk
- Hairlinewigsuk.com
- Hawigs.ca
- Heywigs.com
- Kimwigs.co.uk
- Lightinthebox.com
- Lytinroopwigs.com
- Minewig.com
- Morojowig.com
- Rewigs.co.uk
- Shopwig.co.uk
- Topwigs.co.uk
- Urhair.co.uk
- Wigsbuy.com
- Wigsdo.com
- Wigsell.co.uk
- Wigshoponline.co.uk
- Wigshow.co.uk
You should also be cautious when buying from non-wig-specific marketplaces, like eBay, Shein or Temu – you might find some great deals, but just remember that you’ll get what you pay for! If you’re looking for a reliable, high-quality wig, you’re not likely to find it on these sites.
Final Advice on Avoiding Scam Wig Companies
1. Check the URL
We have also been made aware that there are several companies using the Simply Wigs name in their advertising. Always make sure you’re shopping on our official site to avoid being caught out! Make sure the URL is correct before entering any information.
Check out the listings below; the first is from our official site, but the second is a different site using our name. We’ve highlighted the URLs in red so you know what to look for!
2. Do your research
When you’re browsing cheap ‘UK-based’ wig sites, be cautious and do your research before you buy any new products. Every week, we talk to heartbroken people who these companies have scammed, and we are angry and saddened that they are still allowed to trade.
3. Spread the word!
As many scam wig companies are not based in the UK, we are unable to prosecute them. However, if Trading Standards cannot protect people who may be shopping at a very vulnerable time in their lives, then it’s time we spread the word ourselves!
We ask that you please repost this through your own social channels. Together, we can get the word out that we will not be duped by these dishonourable companies anymore.
Our team knows that buying a wig can be an emotional and highly personal process. The UK has many highly-rated, quality, legitimate wig companies that will endeavour to make the process as easy and painless as possible.
When it comes down to it, if you have any doubts about the legitimacy of a company, you’ll be safer not spending your money with them. If you have any questions about this topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. The Simply Wigs team are always here to help.
I ordered a wig from face book. On May 6, 2020. It is now June 29, 2020 and I have had no word from them, nor has my product arrived. In searching the Internet for LianMY all I found was some pictures and you can order. There were no phone number, address or e mail address in which to reach this company. They sure took my money fast enough though. I have a transaction page from where it was paid by Pay Pal. That is how I know the name of the business.
It must be a scam company.
PayPal is not hearing us. I did the same and ask PayPal to refund me. The reason I use PayPal was for more security with my purchase but what a waste of time and money. I received 3 wigs wrong style and color.
I received a synthetic hair topper in silver gray. It took a month to arrive, it was not what I ordered, which was human hair, Snow White! There is no way to contact this company, definitely a scam.
did you get your money back from bestwig because my website was wigsale.shop that was taken from a legitimate website called bestwig and used as a front for there website
ROSELACEWIGS.COM IS A COMPLETE SCAM! I ordered 3 multicolored lace front wigs using their special Mother’s Day discount, paid thru PayPal and received 3 cheap, shoddy wigs: 2 solid black and 1 horrid pink. No response from customer service. What are we supposed to do about this scam of a company???
I reported the compay Kaxi Wig to Paypal.
Kaxiwig.com the 4 wigs thst I received are NOT human and look nothing like the images. Paypal told me to return the wigs and gave me an address in NJ. The company wants me to mail the 4 wigs to China, however, the adress they gave is NOT valid. The wigs came from NJ and I have the mailing adress. I am yrying to make Paypal understand that the sdress they provided does not exist.
Here is the website
Hi Jill, my hubby ordered my ist wig from urhair. I 5hought they were a British based wig site, as I had typed in urhair. Co. UK. Their wigs seem to come from China however, (how could you possibly know?) after 4 weeks they sent me a wig in a flower box. Written on the box was A gift for you… The wig was nothing like the one I ordered, I ordered onw with two tone red brown flicked fringe, shoulder length. What came was red, long, masses of curls and a fringe longer than my chin!! It was £86. It will probably cost me that again yo get the hairdressers to make it wearable…. Iv since ordered 3 from amazon, all under £20,all wearable, I wear them every day in fact. Hubby agrees that we won’t use urhair. Co. UK again.
Remy.co.uk has numerous Facebook sites and are exactly as you describe above with these other companies. I bought one wig, I was so excited for it to arrive and when it did I was so disappointed. It was not as advertised. It was not human hair, not the same colour, cut, thickness or style as promised. I returned the wig and still await refund. Since my purchase I complained on their Facebook site, my post was deleted and I was subsequently blocked from posting anything else. I have now found others who have also been scammed by this company and together we will ensure companies like this do not have the opportunity to scam anyone else.
Yes, Simply wigs do exist, in Yorkshire, I’m going to order from them next time I need a new one. The point is though, if it wasn’t for this site, with all the fraudulent companies listed, we’d fall for scammers over and over, wigs are not cheap, and most of us lady’s get a wig due to hair fall from illness.
I have had a bad experience with re-wigs and a long drawn out correspondence with same answers from them as other buyers
I opened a case with PayPal and have had a pleasant interaction they secured a full refund for me of £90 very happy
I ordered a Remy human hair wig and recieved a synthetic wig.
I was told I could not get a refund as they cant sell the wig when returned. They asked for a further £50 to send a new wig which I refused. There are several complaints on a review site so I know they are a scam. It is very hard to buy a human hair wig online so beware.
I stupidly ordered a wig from this company besswigs as my hair is very short and I want to grow it, but the in between length is awful so thought a wig would be a good option. The picture showed an asymmetric multitonal Bob. When it arrived yesterday it’s a copper blonde not asymmetrical and looks ridiculous.
Now I can’t afford the prices on simply wigs BUT I know some people need the high quality and assurance so please avoid companies like besswigs just because they’re cheap.
Ordered from wiglamorous….over a month ago…..tried several of their emails for contacting…no luck…no number to call…finally got wig…WAS NOT WHAT I ORDERED AND PAID for had a lot of forwarded mail stickers …nothing like the picture wasn’t even a lace wig…it looked old and worn and wrong color look like they found it in a back room…..filing a claim to get my money back.
I purchased 3 wigs from Remy hair wigs after I seen an ad advertising a limited time sale. And they were supposed to be 360 lace wigs and I got cheap $20 costume wigs. Like Walmart at Halloween time has better quality wigs then what I had received from this company. I ordered then with a thick density and the wigs I received are so thin u can see the tracks and everything through the hair. It took over a month to receive them and I never could get any tracking info on them. I’ve emailed the company twice letting them know I want a refund but they have yet to email me back.
I ordered the 3 wigs from: Wigsbuy.com. Must I say more? NO!
Poorly made , advertised as real human hair but it’s not .
Seem hangs out the front of the wig which makes it look bad and is highly noticeable .
Absolutely appalling products and customer service
i just ordered a wig from Wigsale.shop also it took 2 weeks to get here shipping date kept changing i didn’t like it decided to return it website says unavailable emailed them and have not received a response either
i bought a wig on June 8th from Wigsale.shop it took 2 weeks to arrive because the delivery dates kept changing when i finally got it i didn’t like it so i decided to return it well lo and behold i was shocked when i went to there website and it said it was unavailable and there was no contact information i also sent an email and still have not received a response i am now out of 40.00 and that includes shipping these fraudulent companies should be prosecuted, jailed and put out of business and consumers money returned to them
Hi Hazel, I also bought wig through urhair.co.uk the wig that came after 4 weeks was the same lot umber, colour number, and was £86. It will probably cost me the same amount to get a fringe cut into it by my hairdressers, as the only way I could wear it is to pin the front bangs back as they are chin length. It looks nothing like the picture. Hubby further bought 3 from amazon, which came in 2 days, and I wear all the time, all 3 under £20.
I too ordered 3 wigs from SZYR Wigs on June 5th. It’s only been two weeks but I haven’t heard anything from them. There was supposed to a 3 for sale but they billed me for the price of each wig. No more wig buying on Facebook for me. I’ll wait another week or two and then I’m going to go after them to get my money back and put them on blast!!!
Wiglamorous needs to refund my money back the wig I just got doesn’t look like the picture or video
So true same thing happened to me and PayPal will not help me get my money back
You are so right! I just spent $246 on 8 wigs from noemyhair.shop..the wigs suppose to be human hair, 360 transparent lace! Theses wigs was nothing like what was advertised on the site! I tried calling customer service number and it just didn’t ring and hung up on me! Like someone else mentioned… Paypal should be responsible for these fraudulent sites! They need to investigate more on these online hair supplies shops and if they don’t send customer’s what was advertised…they can sue them and refund customer’s money! I got the website on Instagram!
I’ll just ordered a wig from them in May haven’t received it yet I was wondering how did you get in contact with them
bought (3) wigs online in April 2020 – arrived a month later in different times, I wanted straight human hair. Out of the three – one I have not even tried on yet, but the other two was not the color I asked for, didn’t look anything like the hair on the model that I picked – it was frizzy/bushy/so wavy it extended way out past my shoulders, one of them was a blonde frizz and the other was a brown frizz – little pieces of lint in them tried to take it out it seemed to be glued into the strands. I’m not going to fight these wig shops for I will take a loss for my punishment for not researching the companies (didn’t even know there were scam wig shops) hair loss is difficult enough and wanted a good wig but with scam companies out there makes it worst for me.
I ordered a lace-front wavy grey wig on may 17,2020. Just received it two days ago. No lace-front,too curly, not human hair. Not the wig I ordered. California POBox. Jocosa.Store on facebook. Can’t contact anyone. Don’t buy these wig on facebook. Scammers!!!! I am pissed!!!
Wigsell ripped me off too! They are based in China and won’t refund me for an appalling wig. How I wish I’d seen this page first.
I also ordered from wiglamorous back in april. Got message my wig was on the way gave me tracking # invoice dot #. Tracking # invalid. . Have tried to email to site call no number. Email address invalid. Home office address in wyoming invalid. If anyone has a direct line please contact me [email protected].
The website is urhair.co.uk
This really is a miserable going on.
.How can we get our refunds from these people?
I order they did come in but they where all the same not what i ordered and beware they are what i call hat wigs
It seems this wig scam is a minefield of misery caused by these scammers. What can we do about it? They refuse to give the return address when dissatisfied with wig. Who can help? Trading Standards Law?
I have been up all night getting this order sorted via email to China.
First email – asked them to stop order
Their reply – my wig was already in “production” [b******s, it was a fake Chelsea by Envy, already made!]
My reply – I have checked your policies and I can cancel within 12 hours
Their reply – we will send you £10 and you keep the wig [you wot, mate??]
My reply – I have take screen shots of your cancellation policies, fake UK address, and the fake Chelsea by Envy wig. If you want me to get ugly I can – and with proof to back me up. Please cancel the sale, cancel the Paypal payment and we’ll say no more.
Their reply – We have cancelled the sale and refunded the money and we are very sorry for the trouble.
My reply – See? It wasn’t impossible was it? Thank you.
Of course, each email was slightly more wordy that the above exchange but flippin’ ‘eck they tried to grind me down! I am shattered as it is time for the sun to rise but I knew I had to set the matter straight with them as it is late morning there. If I slept and waited they would have swore blind that I left the cancellation request too late. Good luck to everyone and don’t buy from Remy Wig!
I ordered from Ann Foor.com wigs over a month ago and have NOT received the products orders. I tried tracing the products for delivery and the tracking number was a false number. I even tried calling the company’s number they listed for their customer service. I was told the number was NOT in service. I am very disappointed with this company!!! It is almost a month and a half and I still DO NOT HAVE MY ORDER!!!!
I wish I had seen this before I orderd a £50 Chelsea by Envy wig from them! After the fact I did a search on the Chelsea and found it is upwards of over £500!! That is the real one. I am dreading to see what they send but I’m going to call my bank and try to stop them from sending the money to good old Paypal which I used to order it with. Stupid me! And yes, they claim to be based in Hertfordshire UK!! I tried going to PayPal and stopping it there – I think a long time ago you could do that – but with no luck. Maybe my bank can stop the funds being sent to Paypal. If that doesn’t work I’m going to email remy-wig and request them to cancel the sale. I think their FAQ says you have 12 hours to do so but if they are this dishonest as I’m finding then I’m sure they will not be arsed to cancel. I normally am more cautious but I’m also still damnably gullible sometimes. I have a drawerfull of shite wigs I’ve bought from China already, don’t need another one! And yes, I read someone say we should put out a lawsuit against Paypal for their dirty dealings in cases like this. They have done me before on other sales and all. Just let me know if you do and I’ll sign! Good luck to everyone and I truly hope you get your money back. x
I also had a bad experience with SZYR Wigs. They sent the wrong thing and offered a 20% refund if I keep what they sent me – or send it back to China for a full refund.
CiCi wigs are fake Halloween synthetic hair. Do not buy from them. They show good reviews but those must be fake or stolen from elsewhere. Terrible quality and packaging. Waste of money!!
Hi Blair ,
Do you have synchrony’s contact information??
I returned an $80 wig to REWIGS and they said I sent it to the wrong address. I used the address on the package it came in since they wouldn’t give me an address where I should return it! I even filed a claim with Paypal and did not get a refund.
The wig came but it is not like the one in the picture and the color is wrong. They are not giving me the return address for a refund. UrHair co .uk
I ordered a wig from Yueyetu.store What I finally received was nothing like what was advertised. I emailed several times and received no response from the company in Hong Kong. This company is nothing but a scam. Everytime I see their adds on Instagram, I make a comment to deter other women. They are taking advantage of Americans. May the buyer beware!! If it looks too good to be true…it is!!!
I ordered 3 wigs. It took two weeks. They look nothing like the pictures.
Bought from Crostseainc is the name on pay pal & my bank or pretsoft.com and they 2 are a scam. Took 2 months 2 receive these cheap axx wigs and when they came, they are all wrong! Wouldnt put them on my dog!! Return add is an Exxon gas station in Alabama! Called and dude sd they get all kinds of returns and calls but do not know the people. Just put a claim in via paypal. I want my money back!! Ladies, what are we to do? Just be scammed and do nothing? This is a difficult time for us all and I want to take a stand and put these creeps out of business! I am PISSED!!
ON April 23, 2020 I ordered a special of 4 wig for $55 from Pureal wigs, that turned into Nico wigs, that turned into SZYR WIGS!!! On June 5, 2020 after God knows how many emails , I recieved 4 SYNTHETIC WIGS That even my dog can’t wear. MY WIG SISTERS , DONT BUY WIGS OFF OF FACEBOOK!!!!! IF IT LOOKS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE,,,, IT IS?????
Having PayPal is useless. Did ABSOLUTELY nothing in my defense to assist me and they closed my case. I received the wrong wigs . No where to return them and PayPal could care less. First time using PayPal and will NEVER use again!!
Simply wigs UK they are a reputable company based in Yorkshire, reviews are genuine, l have ad quick delivery and good customer service.
REWIGS wouldn’t tell me where to return the wig. I sent it back where it came from and then the company said I sent it back to the wrong address and to send it back to another address after I told them it had already been returned it! I filed a claim with Paypal and they refused to give me my money back.
I am waiting to hear back from PayPal. They sent a response to bestwigs we’re my money was sent from PayPal. All I want is my money back and I have learned my lesson. My daughter say always check the reviews
I bought a wig at the time from the same people “Belment” different website fancyplus.shop websites no longer available I contacted via email several of times and no answer, they sent PayPal a fake tracking number a month later because I called my local USPS office only after the tracking wouldn’t work online to actually verify it. They are scamming using different websites to scam beware of BELMENT or VVIG
This is terrible. Thanks for the information.