Finding out you have a counterfeit 2 months later

laurasjeel

O.G.
Aug 25, 2007
1,300
2
Well, this isn't about a handbag but is all about ebay and what you should do with a counterfeit. I am a little stuck as to what my options are. So I guess the advise given here from commenters could help someone in terms of buying a handbag.

I bought Hot Pink GHD straighteners from someone on ebay who seemed like such a nice lady, she actually posted them the day I bought them and I received them the following day. This was in early December. Yesterday I used my straighteners and they broke for no reason, they just wouldn't heat up. Me and my friends were astounded as GHDs have such a good reputation and I have friends and family that have had theirs for multiple years and had no problems. So I posted on an LJ community for beauty and beauty products, and contacted GHD, and also checked out a authenticating GHDs ebay document (granted too late). It turns out that the straighteners are just very realistic fakes which probably explains why they didn't last.

I have contacted the seller making her aware that the straighteners are fakes, and had no reply so far but the day is still young.

How should I go about this? I mean I paid over £100 for fakes (and she may even have known they were fake). Do I go through ebay and say the item was counterfeit, or is it too late seeing as I only found out after the product malfunctioned? It would be nice to have some money back after I paid so much, but I am scared it is too late now that the product doesn't work. I could provide pictures for ebay of things that make it fake if it would help, but it's such a tricky situation with them being broken.

Sorry for such a long post, but I am completely at a loose end and would be so appreciative of any advise!
 
1) contact the seller first
2) if seller doesn't respond, file a SNAD (significantly not as described) claim on ebay and if you paid via paypal, the claim will automatically be through them
3) if through paypal, escalate the claim so the seller has to at least take some action to resolve this
4) if not through paypal, but on a credit card, contact your credit card company after filing a SNAD claim on ebay.
 
Good grief, fake GHDs!!! What is the world coming to??? Is there nothing that cant be faked!!!

How did you know they are fake? What is the difference between real ones and yours?

Hope you get this sorted. I would file a SNAD dispute with ebay but send another email to the seller first telling her that if she doesnt respond, you will file dispute and also contact the police as she is selling counterfeits. Do you know her name and address?

I did this recently with a seller and she refunded me my money.
 
You are too late to file with Paypal as you only have 45 days in which to do so.

First off, is the seller on eBay registered as a business? If she has then she has to refund, repair or replace the goods as they failed to be up to fit for purpose or last an acceptable period of time.

If they are definitely counterfeit then she is of course breaking the law. If she won't refund you then you must contact your credit card company as they will be able to help you.
 
Good grief, fake GHDs!!! What is the world coming to??? Is there nothing that cant be faked!!!

How did you know they are fake? What is the difference between real ones and yours?

Hope you get this sorted. I would file a SNAD dispute with ebay but send another email to the seller first telling her that if she doesnt respond, you will file dispute and also contact the police as she is selling counterfeits. Do you know her name and address?

I did this recently with a seller and she refunded me my money.

I know they looked so real, it's awful! i used this guide on spotting fakes. Mine has the band around where the cord and straighteners meet, they have 2 holes not one, they have no reset button on the plug, and on the heat proof mat studs they do not have the 5 stars printed on them showing that they were not produced by GHD :[ I would certainly advise to be so careful buying these of ebay now.

I will wait to see if she emails me back if not I will follow your advise and file a SNAD. I am not sure if I know her name or address, but if she denies it all or does not email me back I think the police would like to know she is scamming people!
 
You are too late to file with Paypal as you only have 45 days in which to do so.

First off, is the seller on eBay registered as a business? If she has then she has to refund, repair or replace the goods as they failed to be up to fit for purpose or last an acceptable period of time.

If they are definitely counterfeit then she is of course breaking the law. If she won't refund you then you must contact your credit card company as they will be able to help you.

OK, I used paypal so if she does't refund I will go through ebay and my bank. Thank-you for the advise!
 
1) contact the seller first
2) if seller doesn't respond, file a SNAD (significantly not as described) claim on ebay and if you paid via paypal, the claim will automatically be through them
3) if through paypal, escalate the claim so the seller has to at least take some action to resolve this
4) if not through paypal, but on a credit card, contact your credit card company after filing a SNAD claim on ebay.

Thank-you for your advise, I am hoping the seller replies and refunds me without all this hassle, but it is too much money not to fight for, so if she does not contact me back after I email her for a 2nd time I will file a dispute!

I hope she hasn't sold these fakes to anyone else!

So would ebay get me my money back from paypal, or will I have to do that separately?

Thanks again!
 
I wonder if you could also contact Trading Standards - or threaten the seller that you will contact them. They would also be interested that this person is selling fakes, and they could also be dangerous if they havent been tested and passed UK safety tests etc.

Hope you get your money back - let us know what happens and if the seller responds to your second email :smile:
 
I wonder if you could also contact Trading Standards - or threaten the seller that you will contact them. They would also be interested that this person is selling fakes, and they could also be dangerous if they havent been tested and passed UK safety tests etc.

Hope you get your money back - let us know what happens and if the seller responds to your second email :smile:

True, those things could have exploded or electrocuted me or anything seeing as it will be a cheap botch job of electrics. I don't know how to contact trading standards, but I will if it means it scares her off selling fakes!

I will keep you updated on how it goes. fingers crossed she just refunds me and doesn't sell anymore fakes!
 
You can't file a claim with Paypal after 45 days so if she doesn't respond within 48 hours contact your credit card company

But i don't think it was on my credit card, I have a direct debit with paypal. but since my credit card is from the same bank anyway, would they take the same action as if it was on my credit card? thats what worries me.
 
I wonder if you could also contact Trading Standards - or threaten the seller that you will contact them. They would also be interested that this person is selling fakes, and they could also be dangerous if they havent been tested and passed UK safety tests etc.

Hope you get your money back - let us know what happens and if the seller responds to your second email :smile:

I was thinking the same, these could be quite dangerous if young children are using them etc. who knows what they are made out of ?. I would contact trading standards and let them get involved.

You can phone them on this number Tel: 08456 040503

or e-mail them here http://www.ukecc.net/contact.asp
 
I was thinking the same, these could be quite dangerous if young children are using them etc. who knows what they are made out of ?. I would contact trading standards and let them get involved.

You can phone them on this number Tel: 08456 040503

or e-mail them here http://www.ukecc.net/contact.asp

Ah thank-you so much! I really hope she didn't sell a lot of them as otherwise so many people could get hurt!

Thanks again for the contact information.
 
But i don't think it was on my credit card, I have a direct debit with paypal. but since my credit card is from the same bank anyway, would they take the same action as if it was on my credit card? thats what worries me.

Oh dear! You could be stuffed then......you get no cover with a debit card. This is why it's so vital to always pay with a credit card via Paypal.

Just keep on at the seller. Does she have anything listed on eBay at the moment?