Online Gift Buying Risky for Holiday Shoppers
Deceptive counterfeit products easily fool gift givers.
December 3, 2014, Los Angeles, CA – The joy of the holiday season brings a new twist to gift giving; you may end up with a counterfeit. With over 90% of holiday shoppers planning to go online to buy gifts at bargain prices this holiday season, holiday vendors and the web is a haven for scam artists selling counterfeit merchandise.
"Consider the economic and personal risk of buying counterfeit goods, and be very skeptical of any online product, unless purchased from authorized retailers" says Craig Crosby, publisher of The Counterfeit Report®, a popular consumer website. Consumers are easily deceived and unknowingly purchase counterfeit products from eBay (EBAY), Amazon (AMZN) and others. These counterfeit gift purchases often go undetected until after the holidays when the product fails, is returned for warranty, or causes an injury. Some are deadly.
Popular gifts are also common counterfeits, including fragrances, watches, sporting goods, electronics, shoes, and cell phone cases. The vendors often disappear after the sale and before the recipient unwraps the poor quality and worthless gift.
Shown: Otterbox Defender Cell Phone Case, Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio, Invicta Pro Diver Watch. (Photo: The Counterfeit Report)
Counterfeit products are often listed as "100% Genuine" or "Authentic" and many listings use the manufacturer's own stock product advertising photo to fool unsuspecting buyers, who receive a fake. “You just can't identify a counterfeit product from a stock photo” says Crosby. Consumers can view and compare 1000’s of deceptive counterfeits and the real products on The Counterfeit Report® website.
Any consumer confidence that the websites are protecting you may be misplaced. The Counterfeit Report recently purchased hundreds of counterfeit products from eBay and promptly submitted reports to eBay’s Trust and Safety Team. However, the counterfeit sellers and product listings remained. Prior buyers are not notified they may have purchased a counterfeit or dangerous product and would be eligible for a refund. Buyer beware.
Crosby's recommendation, "Buy from authorized retailers, pay with a credit card, and when in doubt, compare your item to a known authentic item. Always retain the product; it is your only proof in any dispute process of receiving a counterfeit. If returned, sellers will simply deny it is counterfeit and sell it to another unsuspecting consumer.”
Website: www.TheCounterfeitReport.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Counterfeit-Report/131568053660579
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