5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Buy Counterfeit Clothes

Shopping can be expensive, we all know that. When it comes to getting the latest pair of shoes, that must-have dress or handbag ‘to die for’, it can often be an agonising choice. 

So when you see that huge discount on your Instagram feed - that you know it too good to be true -  you’d be crazy not to go for it, right? Or perhaps you don’t mind buying counterfeit clothes if they look ‘good enough’? Well, here at ScamAdviser, we want to let you know why you should think twice! Here are 5 reasons why buying counterfeit clothing isn’t a good idea:

1. Bad fit and feel

Everyone wants the perfect outfit for a good price but when shopping online, there is one thing you expect to be correct - the fit and feel! This includes the cut, size and feel of an outfit. 

Brands will make sure to stick to the standards for the region/country when it comes to sizes. For example, a size named ‘large’ In the United States may not be the same as in China. Counterfeiters often just want things to look right at a glance and will have no problem if they don't match regional standards. 

Also, that image they used to sell the product? It might not be legit. Often counterfeit products are advertised with the image of the genuine product… but of course, the materials used in the fake are usually inferior. So, that beautiful dress might have rough, unattractive fabric in reality. 

Want to see in an example of this? Head over to lollipuff.com's blog post featuring a real and fake Herve Leger dress!

2. The people making fake clothes

We don’t blame shoppers for not looking past the picture & price on an online shop. Retailers have spent years trying to persuade us to impulse buy - one-click purchasing and notifications of how little stock remains - all come to mind.

But, unlike real companies, counterfeiters don’t have to follow the usual rules. There is no Corporate Social Responsibility scheme for these organisations. They will do anything to cut corners and save money, including using illegal forms of labour in the production of counterfeit products. Check out the Esquire article detailing the darker side of fake clothing.

3. Your health and safety

We all know that this isn’t the most exciting thing to think about when shopping online but it is important!

Producing clothes is a complex process with many stages. Often these involve treatments to the fabric that contain harmful chemicals. Of course, in legitimate clothing, this is carefully handled so as not to risk consumers. Counterfeiters on the other hand? They’re not so careful.

A number of these chemicals used could be absorbed into the skin If improperly handled during the production process, leading to issues such as rashes.

4. Genuine businesses lose out

Retail is a highly competitive business. You might have noticed big name brands being bought out by another company or shutting down completely. Revenue matters, even for bigger companies. Counterfeiters piggyback off the hard work of brands and push users away from genuine retail stores.

5. You could be funding crime (and worse)

Counterfeiting is big business. When we say big, we mean a€60 billion business in the EU alone. And that money isn’t going to shareholders or investment; it’s often heading towards criminal organisations. Organised crime doesn’t just stick to one kind of illegal activity. The profits from counterfeiting will spread across all their schemes, whether that’s drugs, bribery, violent crime, sex trafficking and more.

Then there is terrorism. Now we know that this sounds extreme, but this is genuinely a problem connected to counterfeiting. The then Secretary-General of Interpol stated:

...intellectual property crime is becoming the preferred method of funding for a number of terrorist groups.

The idea that counterfeiting is a victimless crime just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Think beyond the low price to the consequences your purchase may have!

Still not convinced?

At ScamAdviser, we want to help you avoid the worst of the internet but in the end, it is your choice. We genuinely believe that these counterfeiters don’t have your best interests at heart. They pose a risk to your online safety, and countless others behind the scenes.

If you happen to have been a victim of counterfeit products by accident or feel you have something to say about the topic, please let us know via the comments. You can also connect with is via our social media pages.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• ScamAdviser Forum
• Global Scam Fighters group

Let's work together to make the internet a safer place!