Scammed Online via Facebook Need Help

Hi Atty.,

I was hoping I could get some advice. I ordered from a Facebook online seller, I was scammed and it went this way:

Oct. 9, I placed my order
Oct. 13,  I paid via Western Union
Nov. 4,
Seller: "Oct 14 po kayo nagbayad right? So shipment nyo po oct 17 then ETA po sa PH nov 17. Idederetso pa po sa office namin sa PH then aayusin po before po maship sa inyo. Thankyou"
Me: "Yes mga kelan po arrival sa akin? Kahit ETA lang"
Seller: "We'll check po"
Me: "Thanks"
Nov. 17, ETA to their PH office as per seller
Nov. 24,
Me: "Hi just want to check if you have ETA on ordered products. Thanks!"
Nov. 25,
Seller: "Hi mam. Close po kasi kami every thursday. Tapos 12nn-8pm po office hours. Nadelay lang po talaga item."
Nov. 30,
Seller: "Nasa custom na po mam. Awaiting for clearance"
Dec. 11,
Seller: "Nov 17 po ETA(ESTIMATED Time of arrival) yes mam naiintindihan namin kayo."
PLUS: already asked for a refund.

Dec. 11, yesterday was also when I found out that they were a scam. I contacted a bunch of people from this page (RK & Co. Philippines), they added me to a group of about 24 people who experienced the same thing (October 2016 batch). Pre order, 1 month ETA, then no item. We found out the names of the sellers ***** ***** and ****** ******* - hoping it's their real names and actual photos. I looked into one of their Facebook accounts, *****'s. I found out that she was also managing another page (Authentic Bath & Body Works Philippines), same scam same technique, as I found out from messaging a bunch of people on that page (June, July 2016 batch). Some of them have already been refunded, but a lot, most have not. Only those who really fought, threatened, and stalked the seller through her online accounts and friends have been able to refund.

Note: I have threatened her that if they do not refund us all by Wednesday we will be reporting her. (might have been a bad move, but we're desperate.)

I was wondering if we can file a case for this and how we should go about it? I've done some reading and saw that maybe we can file a case at the small claims court? But we do not just want a refund. We also want the scamming to stop.

Thanks in advance, hoping you could help us all.

UPDATE: We have been refunded but the said "owner" is now threatening to sue for slander all those who posted on facebook the names of the "staff". Can they do that despite their part on this issue?

ashleyxcii wrote: Note: I have threatened her that if they do not refund us all by Wednesday we will be reporting her. (might have been a bad move, but we're desperate.)

If aiming at geting money, I would such too.

ashleyxcii wrote:
I was wondering if we can file a case for this and how we should go about it? I've done some reading and saw that maybe we can file a case at the small claims court? But we do not just want a refund. We also want the scamming to stop.

As far as I know Small Claims court CAN'T make punishment, only money.

You can do as in some other scam cases:
Make a GROUP and fight together. By that you get stronger and can reduce costs by splitting them.
In one such (mango) scam (?) the scamers (?) try hard to pay back all in exchange for no case in court to avoid risk for prison. (Although in that case I don't know if the scamers were realy scamers or just not thinking enough It SEEM they had forgot to think of costs after the startup years and by that they had promised more they had chance to fullfil, and when they noticed that, then they run and left the real estate assets in that project, making the problem WORSE by the project wasn't taken care of anymore. Now they have GIVEN the real estate to the victims to solve the caretaking.)
In an other case (building developer) I believe the group have just started so far.

I know if that situation hapenned here, we could sue them for money owed + make them pay for the legal costs involved. Any law abiding philipino judge would accept that request.