# EBAY counterfiets ? ? ?



## aunt fannie (Mar 7, 2009)

I know someone on EBAY that sells counterfiet items that they make themselves. I have been to their home & seen it. They make $1000s doing this. Would you report them if you were me?


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## blufford (Nov 23, 2004)

what kind of items?


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## Ken Scharabok (May 11, 2002)

There is virtually nothing eBay can do to prevent this. Now a buyer could file legal action against the seller.

I've heard something like 80% of the arrowheads sold on eBay are modern reproductions.


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## blufford (Nov 23, 2004)

I doubt it would do any good to report them to Ebay. The County prosecutor may be interested if it is a open and shut case. Now if you found a prosecutor who was a collector or buff of the type items being forged well then.....


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## Ken Scharabok (May 11, 2002)

Several years ago I sold some tomahawk handles to a buyer through eBay. He paid with a Western Union money order. Just checked total, shipped and deposited it. Couple of days later got it back from the bank as a counterfeit. Couple days later was contacted by a guy who was a refitred sherrif's deputy who had taken on 1-2 guys in the local area. They would sell items on eBay, collect, then never delivery. They would buy items, send a cmo.

Looking back at it, the mo was obviously a forgery. Just wasn't paying attantion. Guy got me to file a form complaint with the local prosecutor's office. Really surprised it worked. He (they) had about a dozen different charges/transactions against them. PO's office kept me well informed. Eventually then went to trial and got one year with no probation, forfeited all computer equipment, plus re-compensation. Never saw any of the latter.

The system actually did work.


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

I got majorally ripped off many years ago due to my own ignorance. Ebay really is a case of buyer beware. And for Lords sake do not buy outside of paypal unless you really know the business in question.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Ken Scharabok said:


> There is virtually nothing eBay can do to prevent this. Now a buyer could file legal action against the seller.
> 
> I've heard something like 80% of the arrowheads sold on eBay are modern reproductions.


EBay doesn't seem to want to do anything. I've seen and reported items that were obviously not what they seller claimed. Nothing happened.

Others will address the issue including the feds. Here's one of many.

https://www.sgma.com/publicpolicy/intellectualpropertyactiveissues/shutdownwebIP


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

If you do decide to report them be very quiet about it. People can get off the hook when you mess with their paychecks. 


~~ pelenaka ~~


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## Forlane (Jul 17, 2010)

My wife and I lost our Ebay business years ago to someone reporting us for "selling fake items" 

Ebay decided they didn't care if we had proof showing the items were real, the demanding we give the lady a refund even though we had an email from her saying she bought it with the intention to only use the high end purse we sold her ($2500) for one event and then return it.

We had a no returns policy stated on all of our items and they finally tried deducting the money from my account. The lady never sent the item back. Ebay mailed all of our customers saying they got a complaint from someone saying we sell counterfeit items. 

We shipped 120 items a day minimum with around $10k gross/month.

I now work at Ace Hardware and we are not allowed to sell on Ebay until I pay the money back which is now around $3000.

While this situation is different that the original posters, I feel it important to let people know that not everything is how it seems. Just because you "think" someone is selling counterfeits doesn't mean you are a certified expert in the field.


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## happychick (Sep 20, 2010)

yes, one should always be careful when dealing on eBay. As a seller, I can get frustrated with ebay and how they cater to buyers. We had so much grief with people wanting to do returns even though we had a 'no return' policy, (plus they could force us with an eBay case to do returns anyway) that we changed to a 14 day return policy.

Seeing some of the posts here, reminds me - a few weeks ago someone tried to sell a 'Stradivarious' violin on ebay for one million. (obvious fake!)

If you deal with small sellers, not huge companies that never get back to you - and you make sure you know what you're buying - ebay is great! But not everyone is a good seller, or buyer.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

Some years ago I was selling Nokia cell phone replacement face plates. I had a ton of them and they all said Nokia on the package. I got them cheap and was selling them cheap. Evidently too cheap, because Ebay forced me to stop, saying that Nokia said they weren't really theirs. Thank goodness I had made my money before that happened. I ended up throwing a lot away. Fortunately the models I had left were fairly obsolete and weren't selling anyway.

Nomad


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