Can you really get scammed in department stores ?

[Sa26]

I went to the Coach forum and found a thread about some user getting scammed by an outlet store but factory Coach store but a sort of Marshals like store and in that thread was discussed that you can also get a fake on Macy’s or similar

That’s quite scary needing to authenticate your bags you get there.

Someone said there are people called switcharoes who come with a fake to switch it for a real one and that way you are in risk to get a fake bag.
Now they clarified on that thread is quite unlikely since there are many other bags like yours and it’s easier to spot a fake bag that buying happens more in stores like TJ Max or Marshall’s.
But guys does it can really happen and I can’t trust anymore department stores?

 

[Amazona]

That's also happened at LV. They buy a bag, then return a fake and voilá - they have the genuine bag and the money.

 

[Sa26]

That's also happened at LV. They buy a bag, then return a fake and voilá - they have the genuine bag and the money.

That’s awful, seriously that way they can sell a fake for thousands and scam the costumer. Seriously what about asking for the receipt and authenticate a bag.?

Let’s just say ask for the receipt and do more control on how they return and do Gift receipt.

Stores should be much more careful because that is scamming the clients who buy at the mall to be safe of not buying a fake. It’s totally wrong to just return a bag without showing them the receipt.

 

[NateSelwyn25]

That’s awful, seriously that way they can sell a fake for thousands and scam the costumer. Seriously what about asking for the receipt and authenticate a bag.?

Let’s just say ask for the receipt and do more control on how they return and do Gift receipt.

Stores should be much more careful because that is scamming the clients who buy at the mall to be safe of not buying a fake. It’s totally wrong to just return a bag without showing them the receipt.

The receipt doesn't anything to do with it because they all require a receipt to return, and a receipt isn't going to show if a bag is fake or not. Secondly, retail shops of any sort, including lux goods, don't train their employees to authenticate, that's why third-party authentication services exist. Even if a few do know how to spot a high-end fake, anyone can be fooled.

 

[Cloudburst2000]

You can get scammed anywhere. The chances of getting scammed at the boutiques or high end department stores is very small; however, it has been known to happen. They get bags directly from the source or from highly respected sources. Any fakes that you get from there would likely be a fraudulent buyer who tried to bring back a fake in place of the real thing. I would think this gets caught most of the time, but one does slip through the cracks once in a blue moon. You are much more likely to get scammed at discounters (Marshalls, TJ Max, Saks Off 5th) because they sometimes deal with less reputable companies because they have cheaper wares. I remember Saks Off 5th got into quite a bit of trouble for selling fake Burberry bags. The company the were buying from was giving them fake bags instead of the real deal. Also, the workers at these stores are less knowledgeable about the bags they sell and probably could not tell a fake from the real deal so fraudulent customers would have much more luck returning a non-authentic bag to one of these stores than a boutique or high-end department store. I think TJ Max was having such an issue with this that they were talking about making a rule that high-end purchases could not be returned directly to the store but had to be returned to 'headquarters' or something like that so the bag authenticity could be verified. Don't know what became of this or if they ever put this rule into place,

 

[Sa26]

The receipt doesn't anything to do with it because they all require a receipt to return, and a receipt isn't going to show if a bag is fake or not. Secondly, retail shops of any sort, including lux goods, don't train their employees to authenticate, that's why third-party authentication services exist. Even if a few do know how to spot a high-end fake, anyone can be fooled.

Well the receipt won’t tell if the bag is a good one but it wil definitely back up that you bought it on a legit store.

 

[Cloudburst2000]

Well the receipt won’t tell if the bag is a good one but it wil definitely back up that you bought it on a legit store.

Any store will require a receipt to return the bag. And you usually have to return to the same store. If I bought a bag at TJ Max, I would have to return to TJ Max. Same for other stores.

 

[Sa26]

You can get scammed anywhere. The chances of getting scammed at the boutiques or high end department stores is very small; however, it has been known to happen. They get bags directly from the source or from highly respected sources. Any fakes that you get from there would likely be a fraudulent buyer who tried to bring back a fake in place of the real thing. I would think this gets caught most of the time, but one does slip through the cracks once in a blue moon. You are much more likely to get scammed at discounters (Marshalls, TJ Max, Saks Off 5th) because they sometimes deal with less reputable companies because they have cheaper wares. I remember Saks Off 5th got into quite a bit of trouble for selling fake Burberry bags. The company the were buying from was giving them fake bags instead of the real deal. Also, the workers at these stores are less knowledgeable about the bags they sell and probably could not tell a fake from the real deal so fraudulent customers would have much more luck returning a non-authentic bag to one of these stores than a boutique or high-end department store. I think TJ Max was having such an issue with this that they were talking about making a rule that high-end purchases could not be returned directly to the store but had to be returned to 'headquarters' or something like that so the bag authenticity could be verified. Don't know what became of this or if they ever put this rule into place,

Ohh ok but I’m still 90% safe from being scammed on a department store like Macy’s or Bloomingdales right ? especially with bags they bring you from the back totally closed.

When I get a bag I always ask for a closed one I don’t buy often.

 

[Cloudburst2000]

Ohh ok but I’m still 90% safe from being scammed on a department store like Macy’s or Bloomingdales right ? especially with bags they bring you from the back totally closed.

When I get a bag I always ask for a closed one I don’t buy often.

Macy's doesn't sell high end. They sell mid-tier (MK, Coach, etc). Not sure if their workers really know much about what they are selling. Most workers at our local Macy's aren't necessarily all that knowledgeable about what they are selling. Don't know about Bloomingdale's. Never shopped there before. I was more referring to high end stores like Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, etc.

 

[Sa26]

Macy's doesn't sell high end. They sell mid-tier (MK, Coach, etc). Not sure if their workers really know much about what they are selling. Most workers at our local Macy's aren't necessarily all that knowledgeable about what they are selling. Don't know about Bloomingdale's. Never shopped there before. I was more referring to high end stores like Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, etc.

Ohh okay. Yeah I know Macy’s is not exactly high end but it’s better than a store like Marshall’s or Tj max right ?
It’s weird though there is counterfeit for brands like coach and Michael Kors since they are affordable.
Ofcourse it’s not right counterfeiting an any shape or form, it’s just more understandable people feel tempted to buy a fake LV than a Fake Michael Kors.

 

[Sa26]

Any store will require a receipt to return the bag. And you usually have to return to the same store. If I bought a bag at TJ Max, I would have to return to TJ Max. Same for other stores.

Then how can it happen, how can someone give them a fake bag if they have to give the receipt. Correct if I’m wrong but the reason switcheroos happen is because it’s supposedly easy to change a bag. If a switcheroo buys a bag from let’s say a chinese market and wants to change it in a Macy’s store, how Macy’s will receive that bag if they didn’t buy it there.
Or do they make fake receipts too. ?

 

[LVLoveaffair]

It’s definitely possible. There are always a few unscrupulous people out there who ruin it for the rest of us. I’ve seen a few Gucci and Louis Vuitton at Macy’s here in South Florida. They were used and way overpriced - locked in a glass case. So far I haven’t seen any fakes in the stores but if it seems too good to true, it probably is!

 

[Cloudburst2000]

Then how can it happen, how can someone give them a fake bag if they have to give the receipt. Correct if I’m wrong but the reason switcheroos happen is because it’s supposedly easy to change a bag. If a switcheroo buys a bag from let’s say a chinese market and wants to change it in a Macy’s store, how Macy’s will receive that bag if they didn’t buy it there.
Or do they make fake receipts too. ?

Most people are already going to have the fake bag if they are going to try a switcheroo. The buy the real bag and get a receipt with it. Then they switch the real bag for the fake bag and use the original receipt from the real bag when they return the fake. So fake bag but a real receipt. If the person accepting the return is not knowledgeable enough to tell the difference between the real bag and the fake bag, it is definitely possible for a fake bag to be returned. That is why I think it is less likely to happen at higher end boutiques/high end department stores as the sales associates there are usually a bit more familiar with the products that they sell then someone at TJ Max, Marshalls, etc.

 

[Cloudburst2000]

Ohh okay. Yeah I know Macy’s is not exactly high end but it’s better than a store like Marshall’s or Tj max right ?
It’s weird though there is counterfeit for brands like coach and Michael Kors since they are affordable.
Ofcourse it’s not right counterfeiting an any shape or form, it’s just more understandable people feel tempted to buy a fake LV than a Fake Michael Kors.

Some TJ Max and Marshalls do sell high end...usually the stores in bigger cities. They also sell high end items online. I would definitely get any high end item from them authenticated though to be on the safe side. Same with Saks Off 5th, Nordstrom Rack, etc. I would rather pay the few dollars extra to get it authenticated from an outside source then to have paid hundreds for a fake bag.

 

[Tuned83]

There was a member on here from a few years ago who's business was this fake returns scam. She got the fakes from China and would return those to the stores and would then sell the real items on eBay/Instagram I think. She was arrested and charged.