“Felt Like an Absolute Idiot” — Woman Pays $400 for Influencer Closet Sale, Gets Scammed

A woman claims she was tricked by a New York City-based influencer's closet sale, culminating in her getting purportedly scammed out of $400. TikTok user Taylor Smith (@tsmitthh) posted a viral clip detailing her experience. At the onset of the video, she says that the unnamed style aficionado has a large online following and that she was a fan of the influencer's choice in clothing.

So much so that she would "copy and paste" the woman's wardrobe into her own closet if she could. "We are the same size, like, everything." Next, Smith went on to state that this influence frequently offers "closet sales on her Instagram."

So when Taylor saw that the fashion-centric social media user was offering a sale on bags of clothing, she was excited.

That's because the influencer is constantly posting name-brand clothing online, leading her to believe that some "fire pieces" were up for grabs in the bags, which were priced at $200 a piece. Initially, she had some reservations about plopping down $200 for what is effectively a Trash Bag Bunch gamble, but for clothes.

However, Taylor said that she was "feeling spontaneous" and sent the influencer a text to see if she would even get a bag. Historically, the influencer's items went quickly, so Taylor didn't even think she was going to get a reply. The two of them got to talking, and she asked the fashionista if there was a deal for folks who purchased two bags.

And the influencer replied that she would cover the cost of shipping if Taylor wanted to purchase two separate bags, so she did just that and Venmoed the influencer $400. A couple of days later, the influencer told her that she'd get to USPS to mail the clothing she paid for, prompting Taylor to ask for a tracking number, as she had already handed over her money.

But after a few days, Taylor still didn't receive a tracking number from the influencer, so she reached out again asking if her items had been shipped. They hadn't, and a series of back and forth messages between Taylor and the influencer occurred over the next three weeks.

Taylor would ask the woman if the clothes she paid for had been shipped, and the influencer would promise that she would do so at another time. She says that while she felt bad about having to pester someone to ship out clothes, she ultimately did pay for them and at the very least expected a tracking number for her cash.

Finally, Taylor received the clothing, but it took over a month for it to arrive. She first placed the order on Feb. 12, and her goods came in on March 16. But her woes didn't stop there, as she was underwhelmed by what she ultimately received.

She lifts the box up to the camera, stating that she expected the box "to be a little bit bigger than" what she was given. The first item she shows to viewers is what Taylor describes as "a legit bridesmaid's dress" that she wasn't even able to wear.

That's because the item is a size 6, and Taylor stated that she's a size zero. Next, she holds up a pair of "really worn jean shorts," followed by an orange Urban Outfitters skirt. Afterwards, she holds up a shearling-style Francesca's vest, which appears to be an odd choice, given that Taylor told the influencer she was planning a summer wardrobe.

Next was a gray sweater that says "whatever" on it. Taylor didn't seem too stoked to receive the article of clothing, as she says it sells at Marshalls/TJ Maxx. Following this, she holds up a navy blue dress to the camera, showing that the piece is larger than her entire body.

Then she holds up a white top that looks a little bit like the puffy pirate shirt Jerry infamously wears on an episode of Seinfeld. It gets progressively worse from there, as she showcases a distressed red, white, and blue belt with brass studs, akin to a weapon professional wrestlers would use on an episode of Smackdown to flail their opponents.

She removes other items from the box: a black "satin Zara top," and then a pink top that appears to have taken its inspiration from a slice of Swiss cheese. The item after that isn't as offensive, as they're a pair of white and black pin-striped pants, although they do look like they'd be a great fit for anyone trying to pull off a Beetlejuice cosplay.

The issue is, however, that the pants have shown clear signs of wear, as they're "all ripped at the bottom." Furthermore, she was given a purple velvet bell-bottom jumpsuit, leather leggings, a Zara velvet leather top, a see-through cream J. Crew summer dress. And then Taylor showcases a white-doily inspired top she calls "broken" as there is no visible way to secure the item on her body.

Additionally, the piece also has a bunch of stains on it. She was also given a crocheted-looking hat, a yellowed, apparently worn bikini, well-worn shoes with soles that seem to be coming apart, and a pair of gold heels that have infinity designs as the physical heel portion of the shoe.

After showing everything off, Taylor's disappointment is still visibly palpable. And several folks in the comments section stated that they, too, were shocked by the type of clothing she received as part of the grab bags. "Report fraud, seriously," one penned.

Another replied: "I wouldn't take those for free."