Would like to treat yourself a designer handbag with some spare cash after the holidays? No one wants to splash the cash on something only to find it’s actually a fake, especially if what you’ve got is a hard-earned money.
In cities like Dubai, the market for luxury items has grown – so has the market for knock-offs. One of the places where counterfeiters peddle bogus products has been identified in a report by Khaleej Times, a local patch here.
Writer Sarwat Nasir posed as a customer to take a closer look at various products and merchandizes being sold in Karama.
In her article, she said buying luxurious products in Karama is a bit of a gamble because people can’t be sure they’re getting the real thing. And if they’re not keen on spotting fake, their huge investment might turn into dust.
“I held the bag in my hands and clearly it was counterfeit. There’s the smell of fake leather and the flap is slightly different from the real one. I’m a Chanel brand fanatic, so I was lucky enough to tell the difference, but anyone could easily mistake these counterfeit products as the real deal,” she wrote.
Despite being fake and just a cheap imitation of the authentic products, why do buyers go to Karama market and purchase these products?
In malls, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Mulberry bags and others are usually sold for about Dh15,000. In Karama market stores, these products are only sold between Dh400 to Dh800, her report says.
Ray-bans are being sold in Karama market for just Dh200 to Dh400, which is cheap considering the real ones are sold for over Dh600.
But did you know that the anti-fraud law in the UAE dictates that anyone proven guilty of selling fake and replica products could end up to two years in prison or a fine that could reach up to Dh1 million.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to tell a genuine from a phony, but there are several ways to identify knock-offs.
Bright Side article lists a very useful guide that will prevent anyone from buying a fake copy.
Here are four of the obvious signs of a fake bag:
1 Attention to details
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All of the stitches should be perfectly even, and there should be no loose threads or any other visual defects or imperfections. All genuine designer handbags are handmade, so if sellers try to convince you that it’s just a manufacturing defect, don’t listen to their stories.
2 Clasps, buttons, and zippers
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Pay special attention to small things like metal clasps, buttons, zipper pulls, plates, and locks. Their quality should be perfect, and they will have a number or a name printed on them, which is another sign of quality and authenticity.
3 Serial number
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A serial number is one of the most important marks of authenticity. The label with the number is sealed and attached in a special way, making it impossible to remove without damaging it. Fake items usually have the sticker with a number that has just been glued somewhere on the surface.
4 Packaging
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Keep in mind that an expensive designer handbag always has expensive packaging, often made of the most high-quality materials. The package your precious bag comes in should have no color defects whatsoever. All the additional accessories should be packed as a whole set with the bag. They’re never offered for extra payment or as a gift.
