Counterfeit Products Await Black Friday Consumers

Counterfeits common, consumers easily fooled.

November 17, 2016, 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 this holiday season, the web is a haven for scam artists selling counterfeit merchandise. E-Commerce websites including eBay^®, Amazon^® and Alibaba^® are no exception for "Black Friday" bargain hunters who are vulnerable when they are seeking gifts or a great deal.

Counterfeit products are often listed as "100% Genuine" or "Authentic" and many listings use the manufacturer's own product advertising photo to fool unsuspecting buyers, who then receive a fake. "You just can't identify a counterfeit product from a stock photo" says The Counterfeit Report^®, a popular consumer protection website helping consumers visually identify counterfeit products with thousands of counterfeit product photos. The Counterfeit Report has submitted infringement notices for over 1.7 million items found on eBay, and received over 2,500 counterfeit products from eBay and Amazon test purchases.

Consumers are easily deceived and unknowingly purchase counterfeit products from e-commerce websites. These counterfeit gift purchases often go undetected until after the holidays when the product fails, is returned for warranty, or causes an injury. Some may be deadly.

Could you identify these name-brand counterfeits purchased from the online e-commerce giants?

All Counterfeit Products -- Clockwise from left; Bose Quiet Comfort QC15 Headphones, Gillette Mach 3 Razor Blades, Otterbox Defender Cell Phone Case, Supra "Justin Bieber" Muska Skytops, MAC Mineralize Blush. Chanel, Acqua Di Gio, Daisy, Infusion D'Iris, and Coco Fragrances, Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife, Invicta Pro-Diver Watch, Montblanc Meisterstuck Pen. (Photo: TheCounterfeitReport.com)

Unlike authorized retailers, counterfeit sellers exploit e-commerce websites strict dispute and return timelines which often expire by the time products are received as gifts. Even if available, the dispute process can be frustrating and take months for a resolution. Counterfeiting is a profitable $1.7 trillion global criminal enterprise, and consumers are easily duped into losing billions on these e-commerce websites and products.

Consumer Recourse

Trafficking in counterfeits is a crime with criminal and civil penalties. The Counterfeit Report offers this advice to consumers;

• Avoid all online purchases of trademarked items from China, and China sellers on eBay, Amazon Fulfillment and Amazon Marketplace. Many manufacturers don't authorize sales on these websites.
• Buy online directly from the manufacturer, or their authorized retailers with clear return policies.
• Always buy with a credit card, never cash, PayPal withdrawals or wire transfers.
• When in doubt about a product, seek advice and compare it with an authentic product at an authorized retailer.
• Always keep the disputed product; it is your only proof of receiving a counterfeit. If returned, sellers will simply deny it is counterfeit and sell it to another unsuspecting consumer.
• Dispute the purchase and request a refund from the seller or website.
• If a refund is denied; notify your credit card company that you have retained the counterfeit product and are disputing the charge.

Consumers can easily submit information to TheCounterfeitReport.com website for the appropriate notifications.

Counterfeit products are a serious problem for e-commerce websites and consumers. With many retailers matching website prices, consumers are better served and protected purchasing from authorized retailers.