How To Spot A Fake
Words Roxie Philips | Photo Aleksandar Pasaric
This is the time of Instagram and TikTok – these apps are a new rage. Everyone wants to portray that they’re living their best and luxurious life. What’s the way to exude you’re living a multi-million life? Show off the luxury products you have. And, if you don’t have the luxury items, simply fake it till you make it! Yes, show off your counterfeits and give an impression of living an Instagram-worthy life.
Sadly, this is the truth of the day, and due to the demand for these counterfeit products, many unlicensed, fake companies have introduced counterfeit items in the market, and as a result, people who want to buy genuine products get scammed.
These fakes or dupes are also ruining the consumer market. According to BBC panorama investigation, the UK alone loses millions of pounds each year due to these fake items shipped in other countries and evading VAT.
Counterfeit products look quite the same as original, so much so that you won’t be able to tell the difference with a superficial analysis. Therefore, it’s necessary to carefully analyze the product if you’re spending big bucks on it.
There are some counterfeit-spotting tips you can use to save yourself from getting looted by scammers.
Unreal Discounts
If a company offers discounts on products, it’s your first hint.
If someone is selling something with too much discounts, especially online, then the deal is too good to be true.
Remember, no brands will offer their products at unimaginably lower prices and compromise their quality. Do your research before you spend a considerable amount on a product.
One may argue why one would buy a super expensive product when they can get it’s counterfeit at less price. Well, branded products have their price for a reason; they offer the best quality, while on the other hand, fraudsters usually use cheap materials to produce a fake item.
Flimsy packaging
Keep in mind that good companies or brands spend a decent amount on the packaging, and therefore their packages are sturdy. On the contrary, the scammers don’t even think about making excellent packaging. So, if you receive an item that is shabbily packed or doesn’t fit properly in its box, then it’s a telltale sign the product might be fake.
Disorderly stitching
When it comes to leather products like handbags, there are some market rulers such as Gucci, Chanel and Louis Vuitton The quality and material of their products speak for themselves.
If you look closely at the stitching and seam of handbags produced by reputable companies, you will notice that their stitching pattern is narrow, and their straps are thin. On the other hand, the stitches on counterfeit products have a wide stitching pattern. They don’t care about the product’s sturdiness – instead, they put their efforts into making it similar looking to the original.
The same is true for belts too. Belts of the genuine brand have fine leather stitching and a heavy buckle.
Look for codes
Luxury brands usually put unique codes on their products. These codes help you identify counterfeit products easily. On belts, also brands stamp a unique serial number on each piece so that you know you’re purchasing the right product.
Spelling or grammatical mistakes
Usually, the counterfeit or fake items have the wrong spelling of the brand or might have grammatical errors. For example, Louis Vuitton could be written as Viton or simply Vuitton, Hewlett Packard can just be Hewlett. These mistakes could be so subtle to be noticed at a first glimpse.
Makeup products with less color pay-off or more fallout
The more makeup industry is growing, the more counterfeits of the famous items produced. When it comes to bags or watches, other than loss of your money, there is no physical harm, but if you’re using fake makeup products, you’re risking the health of your skin.
Branded makeup products usually have intense color. But since the formula of the counterfeits is entirely different, you can feel the odd texture of the product and less color pay-off. Also, the consistency of the product differs significantly too.
It’s always a good idea to buy makeup products from an authentic site before purchasing.
Country from where the item is being sold
There’s this report by Counterfeiting and Piracy in the European Union that said China is the main face of the global counterfeiting industry. Around 72% of fake or counterfeit products circulating in the world’s market come from China.
So, taking this information into account, you should always check where the country the seller is sending you the product.
Conclusion
Indeed, purchasing counterfeit products at a lesser price than paying a hefty sum for a genuine one seems convenient. However, these fake products put the global consumer market at significant risk and on your part, besides losing your personal credibility, you’ll also realise that holding on to a fake brand will not necessarily make you feel better about yourself and your social standing. On the contrary, it’ll just make you feel deflated.
