I've written this guide to tell you what you can do if you have purchased fake razor blades on eBay or anywhere else online.

As you can see from this two year old guide (Fake / Counterfeit Gillette Fusion Power Razor Blades), fake Gillette razor blades are sold frequently on eBay and elsewhere online. In many cases, a seller will rip off hundreds or even thousands of customers before getting caught.

This guide offers advice on what you can and should do if you've unknowingly purchased counterfeit razors (or anything else).

My advice includes reporting the fake items to: PayPal, eBay, Gillete and Fakeblades

PayPal/eBay allow you to make a claim/dispute for up to 45 days after paying for your item. If PayPal finds in your favor, you will be given a refund, and you won't even need to return the item (they will ask you to destroy it, which you will probably enjoy doing!) Even if it has been over 45 days since you paid for the item, you should still report the fake items, even though it will be too late to get a refund.

I recommend making a claim with PayPal about counterfeit items rather than asking the seller to let you return the item for a refund for a few reasons:

1) If you return the fake item to the seller for a refund, you'll probably have to pay return postage.

2) If you return the fake item to the seller for a refund, he will probably relist it and sell it to someone else.

3) If you return the fake item to the seller for a refund, eBay/PayPal has no way of knowing that the seller has sold fake items and will not have anything to go on to stop him from continuing to sell fake items.

4) It is technically illegal for you to mail counterfeit merchandise to someone else (even the person you unwittingly bought it from). Most sellers only give refunds if you return the item, but legally you can not mail the counterfeit item, so it's better to get a refund without returning the item. (There are some exceptions to this law: you can mail the item to a law enforcement agency or to the manufacturer (trademark/patent/copyright holder) if requested.)

So the first thing you should do is file a dispute, saying that the item you received was fake.

How to file a PayPal dispute:

Click on the My eBay (Won Items) link at the top right side of any eBay page (including this one). This will show you a list of items you have won on eBay recently.

Find the fake item you purchased in this list. For each item won, on the right side of the page is a drop down list (with a small arrow pointing down). Click the small arrow and then click the View PayPal Transaction link. This will take you to the Transaction Details page in PayPal (you will have to log in to PayPal to see it).

Near the bottom of the page there is a paragraph with a link to the Resolution Center. Click the Resolution Center link and you will be taken to the "Report a Problem" page. Select "Item Dispute" and click Continue.

What type of problem would you like to address?

Item dispute: I did not receive an item I purchased or the item I received is significantly not as described.

You are then taken to the "Reason for Dispute" page. You want to select "Significantly not as described" as your reason. 

I'm opening this dispute because:
I received my item, but it is significantly not as described.

The following page will be called "Provide Additional Information." There are many choices, and if you received a counterfeit item, you should select "Imitation."

Fake
Imitation
For example: Counterfeit handbag, clothing, watch

Further down on that page, you are also asked for Category of item, select "Other Tangible Goods."

After that, you can write a message to the seller, something like: "After examining the items you sent me and comparing them to known genuine razor blades of the same kind, I've determined the items I received from you are fake. I would like a full refund." You can write as much as you want about it, up to 2,000 characters. Try to be diplomatic and professional and not too emotional.

At the bottom of this page, you can request a refund (recommended, since the seller probably doesn't have non-fakes to replace the fakes with and since you can not legally return the fakes to the seller for exchange). Put in the full amount you paid for the amount of refund you are requesting. 

Your dispute is open

It says "Your dispute is open" and there is a link/button to the Resolution Center at the bottom. Click that button.

The next thing to do is escalate the dispute to a claim. The seller will be given an opportunity to respond. You do not need to wait for the seller to respond. Find the dipsute in the list of disputes in your Resolution Center and click the "View" link to the far right. This takes you to your "not as described dispute" page for the item. Find and click on "Escalate this dispute to a PayPal claim."

More options: Escalate this dispute to a PayPal claim

"End Communication and Escalate to a Claim"

Reason for escalating to a claim: select "I do not believe we will be able to reach an amicable resolution." Select "I'll only accept a full refund." And check the box that says, "I'll only provide truthful information." There is another box for you to "Provide additional information about this transaction." Write something like, "After trying this item and comparing it to known authentic items of the same kind, I have no doubt that this item is fake." Finally, click the "Escalate to a Claim" link/button.

Check back every day or so and see what PayPal asks for next. Sometimes you will get an immediate refund, sometimes not. Sometimes you will be asked for further information. In the end, you should get a refund, just follow what PayPal asks you to do. Do not close the dispute until you've gotten a refund.

Reporting listing(s) of fakes to eBay:

If you purchased fake razors from a seller and can see that he is still selling razors in his eBay listings, it is advisable that you report the listings to eBay, as follows:

At the bottom of every eBay listing, there is a "Report this Item" link. Click it and select the following from the drop down lists:

"Reason for Report" = "Counterfeits and Copyright Violations." 

"Detailed Reason" = "Potential Trademark Infringement"

"Additional Information" = "Other replica or counterfeit items"

This guide is for fake razors. If you are reporting something else, you may need to make different selections.

After submitting the report, you'll get an email or two saying thanks for your report. Sometimes eBay removes listings after they've been reported, sometimes they do not. eBay rarely if ever tells you what they have done about your report, other than saying they've read it, but don't be discouraged. They can't tell you much because of privacy restrictions, but it does not mean they are not doing anything. If you are 100% certain a seller is selling fakes, I would continue reporting his listings frequently until those counterfeit items stop getting listed.

Reporting fake razors to Gillette.

If you believe you have received fake razors you can report them to Gillette (who can confirm that they are fake). In the past, Gillette would send coupons/vouchers to people who reported fake razor blades, but I am not sure if they still do.

In the USA simply call 1-800-GILLETTE and tell them you bought some razor blades on eBay (or whereever you bought them) and you believe they are fake because they are not nearly as good as the Gillette razors you've used in the past. Gillette will ask you some questions (like who you bought them from) and they should have some more information, advice and help for you.

Gillette is very serious about dealing with the fake razor blade problem since it is estimated that over $2billion dollars worth of fake razors have been sold, and that definitely cuts into Gillette's profits. Also, if someone buys fake Gillette razors on eBay, and does not realise they are fake, they might simply stop using Gillette products, possibly for years. Many people have done this, and losing customers in this way costs Gillette billions of dollars, too.

Gillette Great Britain: 0800-174543
Gillette Australia: (61 3) 9757 4500

Reporting to FakeBlades

This won't help you get your money back, but it will help other people avoid buying fake razors. Google FakeBlades and find the guestbook and post a message reporting the item name and number, seller UserID (don't put the seller's actual name or any other contact info, I think that's not allowed) and any other info you think is important to say about the fake blades you received.

Lastly, if you found this guide helpful, please click YES below!  Thank you!