Thousands scammed by shell companies via cash-on-delivery: Wiadomości Onet

Thousands of consumers across Poland have fallen victim to fraudulent online shops operating through shell companies and domains registered in China, Wiadomości Onet reported. The scam relies on cash-on-delivery parcels sent to unsuspecting households containing worthless plastic items or random goods instead of the products ordered via social media advertisements.

Shell Companies and Chinese Domains Drive Online Fraud

The scheme involves several entities, including ISC International Supply Center, Universal International Supply Chain Limited, KEYCHA, and RAYEASY LIMITED. Only one of these firms, ISC International Supply Center, is registered in Poland, with its headquarters listed at a single-family home on Psie Pole in Wrocław. Internet forums and consumer review platforms feature dozens of pages detailing complaints from buyers who ordered items such as laser hedge cutters, thermal imaging cameras, and medical products, only to receive cheap toys or broken goods.

Shoppers typically reach these online stores after clicking advertisements on social media platforms, with all store domains registered in China. Victims report that the goods arrive without receipts or invoices, and medical items lack required European and Polish certifications. Prices generally range from 140 to 450 złoty, often marked down by 50 percent to lure buyers with heavily discounted brand-name equipment.

Logistics Operations Discovered at Wrocław Warehouses

Initial distribution of the fraudulent parcels centered on a neglected, unlabelled logistics center at Opolska 140 in Wrocław. A witness who visited the site described finding roughly 20 Asian men working inside a barracks without speaking Polish, communicating instead via smartphone translation apps while label-printing machines continuously produced tags for thousands of palletized packages.

Customs authorities intervened at the Opolska address in October 2025, prompting operators to haul away equipment and stock in large trucks. Despite this enforcement action, the shipping operation continued using new addresses while retaining ties to the original Wrocław locations, including Kwidzyńska 4.

Poczta Polska Denies Links to Fraud Firms

Poczta Polska representatives stated that their company does not cooperate with Universal International Supply Chain Limited and that the other named firms were not clients. The postal operator noted that while it does not act as a law enforcement agency, its Security Bureau examines potential fraud reports and forwards them to authorities.

Individual victims who contacted banks, postal couriers, and police departments report little success in recovering funds. Many local police proceedings have been dismissed due to low social harmfulness or a lack of statutory features of a crime. Meanwhile, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) announced it is preparing a notification to the prosecutor’s office regarding Universal International Supply Chain Limited following multiple consumer complaints.