Saturday, August 8, 2009

How to spot a fake.

Apparently fake items such as Christian Louboutin shoes from china are flooding the internet.So how do you spot the real from the fake.Consumers can pay as much as $350 for a top-quality counterfeit watch and you may be barely able to tell the differance.For Breitling and Rolex brands particulary,ensure the'seconds'hand sweeps and does not move only on every second.On a chronograph,check all the buttons work fully-if they dont,this could b a sign it's counterfeit.On leather straps,,check that the inside doesn't say made in... as this is a sure sign it's counterfeit.With a metal strap,ensure all the links move freelyand he clasp clicks firmly into place.If you feel that you have to jam it shut-that's not a good sign.A lot of people think that if stainless steel is used on the likes of a Rolex,then its fake-this is not the case.If your told to wind up the watch only with the first and second hand in a certain position,it probably means its a fake.
It used to be really easy to spot a fake designer handbag e.g-flimsy buckles,ceap leather andmisspelled logos.Now fakes are so good and expensive you can hardly tell the difference.A good tip is to look for the serial code,which is often hidden on a strip of material found inside a pocket or the main compartment-this is standard practice for Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags.A quick internet search on the designer's website will soon help you to make sure that the design,pattern and details are all correct.Hardwear and rivets and buckels should not pierce or damage the fabric of the bag.You can only be sure its an original by purchasing from a department store or the brands website.
Gadgets-there are lots of fake consumer electronics on the market-from mobile phones to TV's.Currently some of the hottest counterfei gadgets are replica iPhones,which have been made very well,looking just like the genuine article(except for the giveaway sign of the manufacturer's bite mark on the Appe symbol being on the left and not the right).Just like watches,these fakes never last.Ensure the packaging and gadget comes in does not contain thin material that looks like it cant support the item safely,e.g.thin card,Perspex etc.Investigate the menus of the device and pay particular ttention to the settings.You can check the details of a product with the manufacturer via its serial code.
Designer jeans-The most common counterfeit items of clothing on the market-the fabric,quality and finish are the key tell-tale signs of a fake pair.I f buying jeans from ebay,examine pictures closely to make sure that they are photos of the actual jeans and not stock pictures from the website.With most jeans from top designers you can spot a fake pair by examining the tag inside the jeans.Fake True Religon jeans,for example,have a 'J' in the word 'jeans'that dips below the rest of the letters and into the horseshoe logo:the real ones don't.Scrutinise the stitching on the jeans-fakes often use uneven stitching on the jeans that looks unprofessional.Also,if you can see the stitching through the other side of the material without having to look very carefully,the jeans are ost certainly a fake.
All in all do your research-learn as much as possible about the item you are planing to buy.Examine it in a legitimate retailer if you can,so you can better identify a fake in a market or in online images.Major auction websites such as eBay also provide a number of guides on what to lok for.Check a seller's profile for feedback on the quality of their goods from other buyers too.Frequently check auction websites for the latest scam warnings.

2 comments:

  1. if i ever recieved anything fake, i would so like die and then resell it back on ebay or something. i am going to follow you, please subscribe and follow me :)

    jblovly.blogspot.com

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  2. I subscribed and Am following-my sister ended up getting a fake i-phone and it was really crap-she sold it to a guy who didn't care it was fake.

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