Counterfeit items - can I repor the seller?

9 replies

somegirlsarebiggerthanothers · 08/10/2007 17:55

Recently bought DH a compact flash card for his camera. It cost 20 odd quid which is quite a bit cheaper than current retail value. After having had it for a good few weeks, opening it, and using it, I came across an article on how to identify fakes and it definitely is one. I e-mailed the seller and he said his supplier had told him it was genuine but I can return it if I want for a refund. I intend to - but am sure he must realise he was selling fakes - he himself has a Chinese name although is in the UK, I am guessing he has contacts overseas (the card comes in packaging with Chinese script on it). I feel like I should be reporting him or something - he is giving me a refund, but I still think it is wrong to be selling fakes. Caveat emptor notwithstanding. What if anything can I do?

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peskipixie · 08/10/2007 17:58

is he still selling them? if he is selling them after he has been told they are fakes then he is doing it in full knowledge and i wouldnt feel bad about reporting him. however if he stopped because you have let him know it seems a bit mean

Original poster

somegirlsarebiggerthanothers · 08/10/2007 17:59

No he is still selling them

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blazingsandals · 08/10/2007 18:01

How did you pay for them. If through paypal you can file a complaint and claim the money back. Also you can file an ebay complaint about it - there is a hell of a lot of moody stuff on fleabay though - you have to be SO careful!

DrNortherner · 08/10/2007 20:51

This is really weird. Dh bought a golf club off a chinese man alledgedly in England, the club arrived from China) in Chinese packaging and guess what? It's a fake....

ninedragons · 09/10/2007 12:09

Oh man, I hate this. I am an expat in China and I have to put that in every auction or people assume that I am also a scammer. Everything from Chinese sellers is fake and please do report him - he definitely knew beforehand. But make sure you get your money back from him first!

I believe eBay got sued by Tiffany a couple of years ago and have really tightened up their act regarding people selling fakes.

Do you mind if I ask you what the brand is? My husband does investigations of counterfeit products. He's run off his feet, obviously.

Original poster

somegirlsarebiggerthanothers · 09/10/2007 22:06

Have decided not to return it as I checked and I am outside the 60 day rule - have actually be en using it and it works fine although it is a fake. It's now got photos of my family on it including my 2 DD's and I just don't want someone else getting hold it it - apparently even if the cards are wiped it is still possible to access the images with the right software. I just figure 20 quid lost and a lesson learned. Just annoys me really that people are being ripped off.

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Original poster

somegirlsarebiggerthanothers · 09/10/2007 22:07

It was a SanDisk extreme III 4g compact flash, by the way.

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blazingsandals · 09/10/2007 22:10

ninedragons, if it makes you feel any better, I think there is no nationality more likely than any other to rip you off on fleabay and would have no qualms buying from a user with a chinese name.

But there is a certain amount of 'ooh I can get it cheap so I won't look too closely' buying going on too where people honestly believe they are going to buy a real Cartier for £10

ninedragons · 10/10/2007 02:01

Sorry, I should have been clearer, and said everything from sellers in China (except me, of course!) is fake. I wasn't referring to ethnicity.

It drives me up the wall. You can't go to the supermarket without 20 people running up to you shouting "copy Rolex, copy bag" and trying to grab you by the elbow and drag you off to see their crappy fake handbags. And more often than not there will be a policeman standing around twiddling his thumbs - I do often feel like marching up and pointing out that what these people are doing is ILLEGAL and would he ignore me if I stood there and lit up a joint?

Flip