EST

One company removed from the platform is C'est La Vie, which claimed to be a longstanding jewellery retailer run by Patrick and Eileen in Birmingham but had a returns address in China.

The company has now stopped operating, with a message on Facebook stating life had "taken a devastating turn" because of the death of a partner, an almost identical statement used by fake Birmingham jewellery business C'est La Vie.

Deanna Newman set up C'est la vie Jewellery in March last year as an "interesting adventure" sideline which she hoped to turn into her dream full-time job.

But earlier this year a company operating out of China pretending to be a Birmingham-based jewellers began using the C'est la vie name, damaging the reputation of Ms Newman's business.

The scam website, C'est la vie Birmingham, states it is run by couple called Patrick and Eileen and claims in adverts on Facebook that Eileen is selling up due to the death of her husband.