Bought a fake bag on eBay?

Here's How to get your money back

Did you buy a fake bag from the infamous online auction website, eBay? It feels sick, huh? Well I’m here to help you on your quest to get your money back. You can do it, but it will take some work. I will take you through a step by step process that you ensure that you end up with your money back.

I can relate to the excitement of opening the box that is meant to be containing that fabulous authentic bag that you’ve been dying to have. Which is them followed by the nauseating feeling in your gut when you catch your first glimpse of the dustbag that isn’t quite right. Then you pull out the bag and immediately know something’s wrong: the leather, the lining, the logo, the quality… ARGH! You just got scammed with a fake!

1. Confirm that it is actually a fake.

Louis Vuitton has had slight variations on many of there models and styles over the years. Some of these changes throw of buyers and make them question their authenticity, which is completely understandable. If there is ever any question of the bags authenticity, then take the bag to the closest Louis Vuitton boutique or have it checked by a service such as My Poupette. Some Louis Vuitton sales assistants and young and have had little or no experience with vintage LV, and may not even be familiar with some more rare pieces or lines.

Other brands are similar; whether you have purchased a Juicy, Chanel, Hermes, etc. there have been slight variations from year to year. Find an expert to get a second opinion.

2. Save all packing boxing and contents.

Do not throw out the box, bag, packing materials, or anything else that was in the box when you received it.

3. Immediately send your seller an e-mail.

When you have confirmed that your package contained a fake bag, contact your selling via e-mail. Your first instinct will to send them a nasty message, but you need to refrain to doing that; you need to send a nice e-mail, even if you don’t feel like it, saying something that will give the effect of:

Dear Seller,

Thank you so much for quickly shipping my bag that I purchased from you. I have been excited to receive it. I was, however, very disappointed to find that it is not as authentic as promised. I am sure that you were not aware of this and I will be happy to return it to you ASAP. Please let me know where you would like me to send the package, and how fast I can expect to be refunded.

Thanks,
Buyer

(You can copy and paste this if you like. Make sure you use you and your seller’s names instead of just Buyer and Seller)

4. Wait for a reply.

5. Take pictures of the item.

This is particularly important if the pictures that were displayed in the auction were of a different bag than the one you received.

If your seller agrees to the return and refund, mover onto step 11.

6. If your seller refuses to accept your return and refund send them another, more forceful e-mail.

This e-mail will reflect how serious you are. Something like:

Thank you for responding. Unfortunately, this is not a satisfactory resolution. As you well know, it is not only against eBay’s policy to sell counterfeit items (or to even disclaim authenticity) but it is against the law. I purchased this bag because you had listed it as authentic. It is not. If you refuse to work with me, I will begin the process of filling a fraud report with eBay, PayPal, and local law enforcement if necessary.

If I do not hear from you within the next 24 hours, I will give you a call so we can discuss this further and in more depth.

Thank you for your time,
Buyer

If your seller agrees to the return and refund, mover onto step 11.

7. If your seller still refuses to give you a refund, or doesn’t reply within 24 hours then stick to what you said. Pull their contact information and give them a call.

Same as your first e-mail, be very nice on the phone. Don’t accuse them; make it seem like you think they didn’t know that your bag was a fake or anything. Let them know that you want to work this out in a way that is fair for both of you.

8. If your seller still refused to accept your request then ten days after the auction (but within sixty days), file with eBay that your item was not like described, and unauthentic, and you will qualify for eBay’s Standard Purchase Protection Program.

If you paid with PayPal, you will also want to file for PayPal Buyer Protection within 45 days after payment.

If you paid with your credit card via PayPal, contact your credit card company to see their purchase protection program.

9. After 30 days, file a fraud report with eBay.

10. File with the appropriate agencies.

There is more than just one agency that you should file with. I would give you the links, but eBay will only allow me to have likes that are within eBay’s website.

If you google these terms, you’ll get to where you need to be:
USPS Postal Inspection Mail Fraud National Trade Commission Complain
Internet Fraud Complaint Center

11. Return the counterfeited item to the seller.

Repack the bag, exactly as it was when you received it. Ship it back to the seller via some form of tracked, signature upon arrival mail. Keep all of the paperwork.

12. Get your refund.

It is a standard procedure among the sellers on eBay not to refund any money until they have the ite returned to them. Don’t worry if your seller requires this, just ship it in a secure manner, with signature confirmation so you know exactly when it is received.

If you paid with PayPal, let your buyer know that if they click the refund link on the bottom of the page with your transaction, their PayPal fees will also be refunded. You don’t want them refunding you with a normal transaction as you will have to pay the fees on top of that payment.

If you paid with a check or money order, expect a refund of the same value.

13. eBay’s Fraud Protection:

Understand that eBay’s Fraud Protection program isn’t a quick one when it comes to getting reimbursed. Not only that, but eBay only allows $200 in protection and charges a deductible of $25 on each filing. If you purchased your fake bag for $40, it isn’t really worth going through all the hassle or money.

14. Getting an authentication:

PayPal requires written authentication if you’ve filed a Significantly not as described complaint against your seller. You can attempt to get written authentication from a boutique or department store, although you are unlikely to get one. You can get written authentication from an expert in your brand – My Poupette does Louis Vuitton, and believe now have authenticators for Marc Jacobs, Hermes, Chanel, and possibly others.

15. If all else fails, call your credit card company and issue a chargeback.

Make sure you tell them the whole story. Get all of your information in order. If you paid by credit card, you will get your money back one way or another. Not fun, or easy, but can be done.

If you didn’t pay with your credit card then your only possible resolutions are:

          1.  Work it out with the buyer; or
          2.  Get PayPal / eBay to side with you for a reversal.

Buying designer handbags and accessories on eBay is fun. That goes without mention. But you must be careful! Remember the following:

Written by: All Designer Bags.com