High fashion targeted by online scammers

Handbags and accessories go hand in hand with high fashion, so it’s no wonder there is a healthy market for goods. But, if you’re shopping online be aware, scam artists are searching for their next victims.

“I had admired a friend’s pocketbook and it was a Louis Vuitton and it was a specific style. But was told that they discontinued it…” said “Pam,” who went online and found a site that claimed all items were sent with a letter of authenticity.

“The day it did arrive, there was a red flag, because the certificate of authenticity was not there. So I kind of figured something was off.”

Within an hour, she got a call from postal inspectors who were tracking the website.

“A brand like Louis Vuitton doesn’t sell through third party vendors especially online,” explains U.S. Postal Inspector Adam Fascio.

“The most obvious is the leather.”

Nicolas Delgado owns The Fine Art of Design, an upscale vintage store that stocks Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada and more.

He says the leather on a fake purse will actually wear less. “It will be pristine.”

Delago also explains how you can look “at the alignment of the ‘LV’s’, and making sure nothing is cut off, or if it is cut off, making sure the design continues to the different piece of the purse.”

He showed off two nearly identical bags, one was a fake, and the other was real.

The fake had a “label that’s not typical for Louis Vuitton,” also, “things like wrapped zippers, or tags hanging off it that say they’re Louis Vuitton.”

Delgado showed off the leather label. “You’ll see here that the typeface (on the fake) is elongated vertically, whereas here (on the authentic purse) the “O” is almost a perfect circle. So (the knockoffs) get the typeface wrong a lot.”

Some bags, like Chanel, come with authenticity cards. He says to make sure the card that serial number on the card matches the number inside the bag. Delgado also warns that if you’re buying online, to look for a high-rated seller on e-Bay.

“They’re very strict on selling fakes so if you can identify it’s fake after you’ve purchased it, you’re insured to return it and receive your money back.”

International sellers make it harder to do an exchange. Delgado also suggests researching your purchase on websites like Yoogi’s Closet, which allows you to look up serial numbers for Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Hermes and match the factory where a bag was made, the years they were manufactured and the serial numbers.

It’s important to do your research, a lesson ‘Pam’ has taken to heart.

“I thought it was a great find and I was wrong. I’ve never gone to a site since then and just pretty much purchase my bags the good old fashioned way.”

Delgado also says this documentary will help you make smart choices when buying a bag online.