Animal Gear South Africa - ****!

I ordered an item online on 21 April 2023 and paid online through PayFast. I promptly received an invoice and proof of payment via email. The next morning following this transaction, my virtual credit card number (that require my Face ID to access that was only used for this transaction), was *****ed through a merchant in an area over 1 000 km from my physical location and the account was cleared out in multiple back-to-back transactions; funds I am still unable to retrieve to date even though I reported the ***** immediately as the money was taken out of my account. On 24 April I received an email indicating there was a delay in delivery of my order and I was kept up to date. It was at this time that I informed Animal Gear that I had been *****ed and they should be aware and cautious for other customers. The diligent follow up on the progress of my order unfortunately didn’t last. I continuously followed up and would sometimes get feedback and at other times was totally ignored; informed of change of contacts who had left the company who had been dealing with my previous queries. On 21 August, after no communication or delivery notification, I requested a full refund for my order. I was asked for my details based on my original online purchase. When I requested an EFT refund as I had to cancel the account based on the original transaction due to the *****, I was told that a letter of verification from my bank was required for PayFast for a refund even after supplying alternative bank details for the refund. I responded that I was not happy with supplying anything linked with PayFast due to the ***** I had incurred and for advice on the most efficient steps to provide me with a refund - since then nothing… radio silence. I have still not received a refund for my purchase and have lost out financially more than double the cost of the original item I ordered. I keep attempting contacting to get some resolve for the financial loss I have incurred as I have had to find an alternative solution for the order I placed but nothing. All I can say is, do not even attempt to utilise this merchant!