That 100% AUTHENTIC Designer handbag you may be about to bid on

.......just may be 100% FAKE!!

People are paying HUNDREDS, even THOUSANDS of dollars, EVERY SINGLE DAY for FAKE HANDBAGS that they are misled into believing are AUTHENTIC!

Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Chanel, Chloe, Prada, Fendi, Mulberry, Balenciaga, Gucci, D&G, Celine, Dior, Kooba, Louis Vuitton, Juicy Couture, TOD's, YSL, Bottega Veneta, even HERMES! And MANY, MANY MORE...are FAKE, FAKE, FAKE!

And not just the ultra expensive bags, even the more moderately  priced bags such as the Anya Hindmarch I'm NOT a plastic bag, Dooney & Bourke, Coach, Lacoste and Kate Spade are FAKE, FAKE, FAKE!!

First of all, I'd like to say that Ebay can be a WONDERFUL place to find an authentic designer handbag for a real steal.  But, unfortunately, it is also a place where a less than savvy buyer may be duped out of hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars for a "replica" handbag that is being described as "100% authentic" with a "money-back guarantee". 

Don't feel bad if you've been duped, I've been duped myself, how do you think I ended up writing these guides?  So, now, I've made it my mission to try to help all the people I can.  I've written a more detailed guide on Kooba handbags, if you are a Kooba fan, please see the other guides that I have on Ebay.

For those of you who may just be learning about the possibility of fakes being sold as authentic, I strongly urge you to do a search to see if a guide has been written on your favorite brand.  If you can't find one on Ebay, do an internet search (Google, etc.) for "replica" or "how to spot a fake ______(brand).

Now, I'm going to deliver to you the really bad news.  Most designer handbags on Ebay are fake.  Even the ones that say 100% authentic with a money back guarantee.  These sellers are making good money depending on people who are not exactly "detail oriented" or who may not have ever actually seen one of the authentic bags in person to know the difference.  And most of these sellers have great feedback.

And being a "Power Seller" means absolutely nothing.   All you have to do to become a Power Seller is sell $1,000 worth of merchandise (any type, fake or not) each month.  That's it.  Many, many Power Sellers are selling fake bags.  I'm not trying to blast Power Sellers (occasionally I'm one, too).  And there are Power Sellers who sell authentic bags also....I'm just trying to help people understand that this in no way means the person is selling authentic merchandise.

The first thing to be aware of before attempting to buy a designer handbag on Ebay is that ANYTIME you see a popular celebrity photographed with a designer handbag, you can just be prepared for the counterfeit version to come out.  If you see a popular handbag that is mentioned in popular fashion magazines repeatedly - the counterfeiters start gearing up to make those, too. 

These people are getting very wealthy from the Anya Hindmarch "I'm not a Plastic Bag" craze! (I have an entire guide devoted to this, please see my other guides.)  A canvas bag that costs only a couple of dollars to make is selling on Ebay for over $100 on a regular basis, all day long, and people have no idea they are bidding on fakes!  Another example is the Miu Miu Coffer bag....most all of these on Ebay are fake.  I saw a fake sell for $500 just yesterday.  People are paying this much money and more for a $90 fake.  I had someone contact me recently who paid almost $900 for a fake Gucci.  It gets worse...people are paying THOUSANDS for fake Hermes bags.

Because I'm obsessed with handbags and always trying to find the best deal (and also feeding my obsession and disgust with counterfeiters), I'm constantly searching Ebay and the Internet for handbag prices and information and in one of my most recent "Googlings" I found some websites that I want ANY and ALL potential designer handbag buyers to visit immediately to get an idea of how many brands are being counterfeited:

www . ladyreplica . com, www . discount-luxury . com, sky-fashion . net,  sunnyreplicas . com and fashioncentury . com also if you want to get dizzy from all the brands that are counterfeited.  EVERY SINGLE brand you see at all of the sites named above are COUNTERFEIT!  But at least some of them ADMIT they have replicas unlike some of the other lowlifes calling their fakes authentic!  And these are just some EXAMPLES of the HUNDREDS of websites with fake designer goods!  Many pass them off as authentic while some will say they have replicas.  Many will call themselves "wholesale".   If you have never heard of the site or store before, contact the manufacturer to see if they are an authorized retailer.  If not, you can rest assured you will receive fake merchandise from these types of websites.

They sell Chanel, Chloe, D&G, Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Kooba, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Mulberry, Prada, TOD's, YSL and Balenciaga and many, many more. Discount-luxury is a fairly nice looking website that at first glance appears to be reputable by the appearance of the understated website.  Until you realize that every single handbag they are selling is 100% fake.  ALL FAKE, ALL THE TIME!  At least ladyreplica admits they have replicas. These are the same exact bags that people on Ebay are selling and if you will visit this website it will give you an idea of the brands and styles that are commonly counterfeited and the prices these sellers are buying them for (and usually much less because they buy in bulk).  You can find MANY more websites just like this one with different brands and styles - again ALL FAKE.  (Google Tradekey, IOffer, etc.)  These are some of the places where Ebay sellers buy their FAKE bags to re-sell on Ebay!

Also, you must visit Tradekey .  com if you want to get an idea of just how many counterfeit items are being bought and sold.  Tradekey is a site that deals strictly with counterfeit goods.  You will find just about anything imaginable there...and remember, everything you see if countefeit!  Not just handbags, clothes, shoes, software....TIRES!  You can find the counterfeit version of just about anything if it is highly desireable.  Did you know the counterfeit industry is TWICE the size of Wal-Mart?

BUT, remember, you CAN find authentic bags in these brands on Ebay as well.  How do you tell the difference?  Well, again, do a lot of research and find a detailed guide on how to spot fakes in your brand of choice. (It is impossible to list that many details on that many brands in one guide plus it takes a LOT of knowledge from a LOT of people to know all the details to look for in every single brand.)  Once you get used to spotting fakes, it becomes second nature and you'll wonder how you never noticed the difference before.

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IMPORTANT NOTE: I am so sorry but I am unable to help you with "how to spot the differences" on most of these items (too many items for one person to know) so please search the Ebay guides or Google for more info on your particular brand of interest as another person have extensive knowledge of a certain brand. Please see my other guides for more info on Kooba and Anya Hindmarch "I'm NOT A Plastic Bag".  I work 50-80 hours a week so its hard for me to answer all the numerous emails I receive asking about whether or not an item is real or not.  Please search the guides for a guide that is specifically on the brand you are interested in. 

This guide is NOT to tell you the details to look for as far as how to spot a fake,  as it varies from brand to brand (and there are many guides that cover details already posted here on Ebay),  it is to let you know the QUESTIONS to ask a seller to help determine whether or not the bag you are interested in could possible be a fake AFTER you've done all your RESEARCH.  While there are certain universal things that seem to be common in MOST ALL fake designer bags (such as plastic covering the handles) the details vary greatly depending on the designer.  So, DO YOUR HOMEWORK before attempting to buy a designer handbag.

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QUICK TIDBIT:  Most counterfeit designer handbags do come with tags, ID cards, authenticity cards, dustbags...even receipts.  Hardware is engraved, etc.  But do not let these things fool you, these bags are by no means true replicas and they will fall apart in no time and it will be too late to get your hard earned money back. 

Still considering buying a replica?  Well consider this:  Children are being paid pennies to work in factories to make these things (if they are being paid at all) and are physically and mentally abused for not making them fast enough.  And also, counterfeiting is ILLEGAL ACTIVITY and the money is used to fund ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES by gangsters and terrorists.  And YES, you CAN actually go to jail for buying counterfeit handbags.  You can CERTAINLY go to jail for selling them as numerous people have and the government is getting harder on cracking down on these people. 

Here are some general tips for determining whether or not a handbag up for auction might be the real deal or not:

• First of all, KNOW THE HANDBAG you are interested in purchasing.  Contact the company's website or 800 number and find out where a local retailer is near you.  Go and look at the bags in person...feel them, smell them...before even considering buying one sight unseen off of Ebay so that you can do a comparison.  If you have already purchased the bag, bring it with you to the retailer for comparison (don't be embarassed, I promise you will not be the first person to do this.)
• LOOK AT ALL THE PICTURES and request CLEAR and CLOSE-UP photos if the seller does not provide them.  If they only provide ONE picture and will not send more, this is usually an indication that they have a fake bag (or do not have the bag in their possession at all).
• READ ALL OF THE SELLERS FEEDBACK, even it it takes an hour. Look for clues.  Sometimes you will find positive feedback that says things like "seller offered an immediate refund when item was found to not be authentic".  Or sublte things like "thanks for the refund".  Try to contact the buyer and find out why a refund was issued if the item was designer handbag.  Most people on Ebay do not leave negative feedback even if it is deserved for fear of retaliatory negative feedback.  So, often times, a bad seller can still have really good feedback.  So read between the lines.
• DO NOT hit the BUY IT NOW button or BID, no matter how great the deal, without doing your homework FIRST!
• RESEARCH THE EBAY GUIDES!!!  Take the time to do this.  If there is not one listed for your favorite brand, do an internet search on "how to spot the fakes". 
• Ask the seller plenty of questions.  If a seller says "do not send any emails asking if this bag is authentic" just skip this seller and move on to another one unless you are 100% certain that the bag is authentic because these are usually people with a guilty conscience who don't like to have to repeatedly lie about the authenticity or they are afraid you will ask questions they can't answer or will answer incorrectly.  Plus, what kind of customer service is this anyway? (not wanting to answer questions? )
• Ask the seller where they purchased the bag.  If they say "from a wholesaler" - RUN.  Remove it from your watch page & just say NO! There aren't any wholesalers who sell designer handbags. Guys who sell bags from their trunks get them from "wholesalers".  Same goes for "suppliers" - just say no thanks to these.   These are all fakes.  If they say it "was a gift" ask PLENTY of questions as this is the oldest trick in the book for passing off a fake.
• The only place to get authentic handbags is either from the designer's showroom, an authorized retailer (large or small),  an authorized sample sale (some people will call a sale on a street corner in NY a sample sale so be careful),  a designer discount clearance store (such as Saks Off 5th, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, SteinMart, etc.), consignment shops, an estate sale (or other type of similar sale), from a criminal (as in stolen handbags), silent auctions (donations from upscale retailers), or from the manufacturer themselves - and this requires being an authorized retailer.  So, if the seller says they bought them from the manufacturer, ask the name of their retail store and CONFIRM IT. People also get authentic items as gifts and decide to sell them but PLEASE check out a bag thoroughly if they seller states it was a gift.
• As I mentioned above, authentic designer handbags are also STOLEN and sold.  A local retailer here had a guy come in and rob them at gunpoint for Gucci handbags.  He didn't want cash, he didn't even want Prada, he just told them to start handing him all the Gucci bags they had.  He lined his arms up with about 6 bags and ran out the door. This is another reason to confirm as much info as you can on the bag up for auction because techically, you could go to jail for "receiving stolen merchandise".  Don't forget to save and/or print out any email communication regarding authenticity for this reason.
• If the seller says they bought it from a well known store such as Neiman Marcus, ask if it comes with the NM tag (if its new) or ORIGINAL receipt.  If the bag is new, they should have one or the other.  If the bag is used, they may not have this.  Let the seller know you do not care what price they paid for it, you want the tag or receipt (and don't feel sick if you paid twice as much as they did, at least you'll know the bag is authentic).  Many times a seller just don't want you to see what they paid for it (i.e. on sale or used InCircle reward points (Neiman Marcus), etc., so they remove the tag.
• Ask why they are selling it for such a low price.  The normal reason is that it was purchased on sale or with an employee discount, or reward points, etc.  Or it could be damaged or a customer return.  Some sellers do sell authentic bag customer returns for substantial savings, a good example is seller Pinchrosemary.
• Ask if the pictures are of the ACTUAL bag.  Many sellers will just copy stock photos from other websites or steal photos from other Ebay sellers (I know very well because this has happened to me).  Some sellers will even buy an authentic bag, take pictures of it and the receipt, return the bag and then mail out fakes in its place along with one of the 100s of copies they made of the same receipt.  If you are suspicious of a seller (due to low feedback, etc. ) ask if they will take a different picture of the bag with a note in front of it showing their seller name or lie a newspaper next to it showing the date.  This is proof that they actually have the bag.
• MAKE SURE THE SELLER OFFERS A MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE and make sure they have established a credible Ebay reputation that they do not want to tarnish by negative feedback stating they sell fake bags.  What I'm trying to say here is that some new, unscrupulous sellers do not care if you leave them negative feedback because they will just open another account under a different name.  Try to stick with established sellers when purchasing designer merchandise or ASK PLENTY OF QUESTIONS beforehand and consider a purchase through a brand new seller a GAMBLE no different than that at a blackjack table.  You are bidding at your own risk!
• About ESTABLISHED sellers...make sure that the feedback they have received has been as a seller.  If they have done mostly purchasing, be careful.  People have been known to buy inexpensive items to raise their feedback score before selling merchandise, with good intentions or not.  A good example is people who will buy a hundred 99 cent items...pay quickly, receive great feedback, then list a $2,000 Chanel bag, take the money and quickly disappear.  This is why I keep telling people to pay attention to feedback. 
• Another thing is this...do the items they have up for auction "go" together?  Like do they have a lot of 99 cent various items and in the middle of it a $1600 Miu Miu bag?  Or do they have Nine West & Fossil bags, then all of a sudden there is a Mulberry?  Hello?  Does this make sense logically?  Yes, it can happen but 9 times out of 10, this is going to be a fake bag. Remember the old Sesame street song "one of these things is not like the other?"  Play that song in your mind when you see substantially different items mixed together (like car parts and designer bags).
• I hate to say this and it may sound terrible but look at the background of the photos sometime.  You will be surprised at what you may see.   Sometimes you can find really big clues just by doing this.  I was looking at a Kooba bag once and I couldn't get over all the "crap" in the background...the house was a disaster.  And as I looked closer, I saw what appeared to be a stack of cash.  I zoomed in and there it was, a stack of cash about 3" thick, with a rubber band around it, lying on the floor!  How weird is THAT?  And of course, the bag was FAKE!  (The only option in a case like this would be FAKE or STOLEN.)
• ALSO, notice the pictures and pay close attention to what they tell you.  There used to be a seller who regularly sold fake Koobas and she would put them in strange places for the photos...like in the grass and actually in the MULCH.  Now, who in their right mind would lay a $600 handbag on top of mulch?  Especially as sensitive as Kooba leather is.  But you couldn't hurt that fake stuff with a hand-grenade.  So, if you see a designer handbag placed on the ground next to a kiddie pool (yes, I've actually seen this), you can rest assured it is probably fake.
• And this is BY NO MEANS 100% accurate but it seems that people who will prop teddy bears and things like that up against their $900 designer handbag for auction are usually selling fakes.   Maybe they are trying to "distract" people, I don't know what the deal is with the stuffed animals but I find this to be very odd and again, 9 times out of 10 if I see a stuffed animal in the photo with the bag, I assume it is fake.
• Go to Tradekey  .  com.   These bags are pretty much ALL fake so you can see if your bag can be found there.  If it is, proceed with caution with any purchase.
• Ask all questions you can think of BEFORE bidding and let the seller know that you are keeping and printing out all of your communication regarding authenticity.  Let the seller know that if the bag is fake, you will be returning it and will expect a 100% refund, including ALL shipping & handling fees (both ways).  Let them know that you will also report them to the Anti-Counterfeit Coalition (info below) and their local police authorities in addition to Ebay, Paypal, and the handbag manufacturer.
• If a seller ignores your emails regarding authenticity, just assume there is a good reason and move on to a seller who will respond and who will back up their authenticity claims by answering questions. 
• Just because a seller says "no fakes here" in the listing doesn't mean they aren't selling a fake.  As a matter of fact, I see this line written in many descriptions and they ARE selling fakes.  I also see listings where the seller is offering pointers on how to spot the fakes while the very item up for auction is a fake! 
• Sellers who describe their designer handbags as being "100% Leather" and "100% New" and "100% Satisfaction Guaranteed" are almost always selling fakes.  This is how the get the "100%" in the listing for searches for poor unsuspected souls who think that 100% authentic actually MEANS something on Ebay and are searching for "100% authentic".  Think about it, if you are looking at a $2,000 Bottega Veneta Bag at Neiman Marcus, do you think the sales associate is going to point out that it is made of genuine leather?  Well, I'd hope it is for that price.  This sounds foolish and makes the seller sound ridiculous.
• ALL POLICIES are NULL & VOID on counterfeit items! So, regardless of the seller's stated policies, you can get a refund for a counterfeit item. There is no time limit either. 

YOU MUST REPORT ANY COUNTERFEIT BAG YOU PURCHASE OR SEE ON EBAY!!! THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO PUT A STOP TO THIS!!!  Go to the link at the bottom of the page that says "report this item".  Then choose Potential Trademark infringement, then handbag, etc. until you get to the screen that says "email us".  Click on that and then you will send the item number to Ebay.  Send a separate email to Ebay complaining about illegal activity being allowed at their site.  Just be certain the bag is counterfeit (based on the guidelines listed above) so to avoid any hassle your way as if you are wrong you could be banned from Ebay for "bid interference".

SOME GREAT EBAY GUIDES to check out: 

MARC JACOBS:  I LUV MY MARC, by Vogue1966 

LOUIS VUITTON:  How to spot Fake LV Louis Vuitton by Fashionphile

CHLOE: Buying Authentic Require Research by Pinchrosemary

ANYA HINDMARCH:  SPOT FAKE Anya Hindmarch I'm NOT a Plastic Bag by Christid2303

ANYA HINDMARCH:  2 & 3 Spotting a fake Anya Hindmarch I'm NOT a Plastic Bag by ali100384  (this is Ebay.uk.com)  (See both Part 2 and Part 3, esp. Part 3)

MULBERRY:  Your fairy godmother guide to buying Mulberry by Goober1473 (ebay.uk.com)

KOOBA: Beware! Fake Kooba Handbags being sold as Authentic by Christid2303

PLEASE VISIT THE INTERNATIONAL ANTICOUNTERFEITING COALITION's WEBSITE FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION!  (IACC . org)

READ the book "KNOCK-OFF: The Deadly Trade in Counterfeit Goods" for important information on counterfeiting.  You can usually find this book in the Ebay stores.

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The following bags are ALL 100% FAKE!!!!  And thousands are sold on Ebay EVERY SINGLE DAY!!  DO NOT bid on this type of bag without being armed with PLENTY of knowledge beforehand!  Ebay only allows 10 pictures per guide or I would list hundreds more!

FAKE MIU MIU!!!!! FAKE ANYA HINDMARCH!! FAKE GUCCI!! FAKE MULBERRY!! FAKE CHLOE!! FAKE MARC JACOBS!! FAKE TOD'S!! FAKE CHANEL!! THEY'RE ALL FAKE, FAKE, FAKE!!!

Please register your vote below if you found this information to be helpful!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my guide and for registering your vote! 

Good luck and happy bidding on that AUTHENTIC bag!!

Christi

PLEASE VISIT:

THE INTERNATIONAL ANTI-COUNTERFEITING COALITION  WEBSITE

Quotes from the IACC . org website:  "If the knockoff ecomony were a business, it would be the world's biggest, twice the size of Wal-Mart, its nearest competitor."

"From using slave labor to produce the products and using sub-quality materials and construction, fakes are cheaper for numerous reasons."

"Most handbag manufacturers report receiving dozens of counterfeit purses weekly from person requesting warranty repairs." (which are, of course, denied)

"Think of it this way, it is as wrong to support the thief who stole the car as it is to steal it."

"Profits frequently support gangs, organized crime, terrorism and child labor."

"Purchasing counterfeit products is not a harmless, victimless crime - our jobs, economy, health, safety and world position are at stake."

GET REAL & BUY AUTHENTIC!!