Entrupy is not dependable!

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#64
So I got an authentication request on a very recent series classic flap, and normally I just refer those to Etinceler for physical inspection, because not only are these bags getting harder and harder to authenticate without having them in hand, but also because the vast majority of posters never seem to be able to take the high quality pictures needed for authentication, which is imperative for the higher series.
This poster, though, was very persistent, so I agreed to take look and see if there's any red flags, provided that she can give me the correct pictures. And she could, for the most part.
Bag turns out to be (IMO) fake, but this poster told me she also had it authenticated by another authentication service (that, to my knowledge, also uses some sort of artificial intelligence to authenticate, but not Entrupy), and they deemed the bag authentic.
I told her I'm sure it's fake, but recommended the bag to be sent to Etinceler since it's understandable she wanted another opinion, since this bag was sold by a reputable consignment store, and was also given the green light by a 3rd party authentication service. I totally understand she if had doubts, so I thought Etinceler was her best bet.

Later on I was chatting with Michele about something when she brought up this bag that she authenticated in house that turned out to be fake (we didn't communicate about this bag at all before then). We shared some thoughts and pics and incidentally found out about the duplicate sticker and listing on Ebay, that Smoothoprter posted here.

Then, as coincidence would have it, I later got another authentication request for another recent series classic flap sold by this same seller on Ebay.
After requesting better pictures, I was of the opinion that this bag is also fake (and not surprisingly, this one, too, came with an Entrupy certificate). I shared some pics of the details with Michele and we think these 2 fake bags with the Entrupy certificates are from the same batch/manufacturer.
A super fake must have made its way into Entrupy's system.
 
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#66
ironic568 said:
Then, as coincidence would have it, I later got another authentication request for another recent series classic flap sold by this same seller on Ebay.
After requesting better pictures, I was of the opinion that this bag is also fake (and not surprisingly, this one, too, came with an Entrupy certificate). I shared some pics of the details with Michele and we think these 2 fake bags with the Entrupy certificates are from the same batch/manufacturer.
Click to expand...

This is the other fake bag.

www.ebay.com

Authentic Chanel Classic Flap Black Quilted Crossbody Handbag | eBay

Chanel Classic Flap. Classic Flap. The mini bag is similar in look to the micro, but it can fit quite a bit more. This is an efficient bag for the essentials & a few basics too. Bag Height. This size bag is super adorable, but it is only for carrying the bare essentials.
www.ebay.com


1599141191761.png

1599141218468.png
 
#69
I just noticed something in that last certificate by Entrupy. The material is listed as "calfskin/lambskin leather". Well calfskin and lambskin are two different types of leather, wouldn't their sophisticated algorithms be able to differentiate and know exactly what type of leather THIS particular bag is? Also, in the other two Entrupy certificates I posted the material is listed as "caviar leather". Well there is no such thing as "caviar leather". Caviar is the texture / finish, the leather is calfskin.
 
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#70
Smoothoprter said:
Agreed, but Entrupy has also found older bags to be authentic when they were fake, even fake copies of vintage bags so they have a lot of fakes in their system.
Click to expand...
In cases where IA works, it's because they constantly update their databases to fix mistakes and make sure mistakes that happened as a result of an incorrect algorithm doesn't happen again.

With Entrupy, the problem seems to be one of the following:
  • Entrupy clients are too trusting of Entrupy and don't believe there are mistakes.
  • Entrupy isn't updating its system when mistakes are found
  • Entrupy isn't made aware of mistakes so can't fix what it doesn't know about
  • Entrupy doesn't GAS
I don't know what Entrupy charges but based on the number of high volume sellers who use them (Goodwill, etc.) I suspect it's relatively inexpensive in comparison to a company that uses real human experts.

So Entrupy's clients are getting what they pay for and sadly, the trickle down affects all of us.
 
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#71
BeenBurned said:
I don't know what Entrupy charges but based on the number of high volume sellers who use them (Goodwill, etc.) I suspect it's relatively inexpensive in comparison to a company that uses real human experts.
Click to expand...

There's a pawn shop in my town that uses Entrupy, charging $35-40 a pop for an authenticity certificate on a luxury bag. Their website refers back to the Entrupy website for which brands they authenticate, rather than relying on in-house specialists. They even have the Entrupy camera. The cost is on top of the price of the bag instead of included. Personally, I would never buy anything Entrupy deems "authentic," as there's no human eye looking at it.
 
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#72
I looked on their website and besides a 1 time set up fee per device ($299), Entrupy is very affordable compared to using an authentication service, especially if you need high volume authentications.
But besides attractive pricing, I'm sure for many Entrupy's appeal lies its convenience and quick turnaround. For small businesses/resellers who have no in house authenticators, or are no experts themselves, it's understandable that Entrupy is very appealing. There's no need to take a whole bunch of pictures (and not just any pictures, but the right pictures), send it in for authentication, and then wait, and in many cases, you'd be waiting for days. Sometimes the first round of pictures aren't good enough, so off you go to take some more, and then more waiting......
This can be time consuming, especially if you deal with a good amount of bags, and that's why I think many (IG) resellers (who aren't necessary authenticators) and consignment stores that don't have in house experts chose to go the Entrupy route, instead of relying on an authentication service. And with Entrupy, you only need one device to authenticate many brands, so there's no need to be/have an expert in different brands, or be an expert at all. Even if a resale business has in house experts, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them still use Entrupy, because it's fast and can handle the volume. And of course it's very reassuring for users and buyers to read that each authentication certificate produced is backed by the Entrupy Financial Guarantee (I wonder what that guarantee entails, do they reimburse you the amount you paid for the bag, if they are found wrong in their authentication?)
With the (increasing) amount of mistakes that Enrtupy makes, it's alarming that many (IG) resellers are "Entrupy certified"
 
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#73
Hi, thanks for making this thread. This thread is actually pretty much the only unfavorable opinion I could find about Entrupy..

I purchased a Mini Lady Dior handbag from the Reetzy Facebook group, which is a trustworthy second hand market (for the most part). The first photo authenticator deemed it inauthentic. I should have sent it for an in-house Entrupy authentication at that point, however it costs $45 and the closest verified business to me was a 1 hour drive, only open 9-5pm on weekdays, and takes up to two days to do the scan (as they prioritize consignments). That would have meant I needed to take off work twice and drive there twice, so a total 4 hour trip!

Anyway, I freaked out after the first opinion and seeked out a few other professional opinions. One of those was a moderator/authenticator from the Dior forum here on TPF, who deemed it authentic. Two other photo authenticators deemed it authentic, but one other deemed it not authentic. At this point, I had 3 authentic and 2 not authentic opinions.

Since Entrupy is so highly regarded in the second hand market and boasts a 99.1% accuracy rate, I decided to ship the bag to the verified business mentioned earlier. I had to pay for shipping both ways, and including insurance costs both ways for a $3.6k bag, I coughed up a total of $150 to get it authenticated via Entrupy. Unfortunately Entrupy was unable to identify the bag and therefore unable to confirm it's authentic (and I paid another $12 for the letter of evidence saying so.) Including Entrupy, I had 3 authentic and 3 not authentic opinions now.

The seller says she purchased it from the Barcelona Dior boutique, so I have a copy of the receipt and screenshots of her conversation with the Dior SA confirming the purchase. She also shared the SA's email (ends in @christiandior.com) so that I can contact her directly. I'm about to email her and will call the Barcelona boutique in the morning to verify that she is a real Dior SA (hoping someone picks up the phone)

Anyway, this got me thinking if there's a chance that Entrupy may be wrong? Sure it's a fancy technology based system that analyzes the fine grains and threads in your bag with a 99.1% accuracy rate (so they say), but does that automatically mean any bag they can't identify is a fake? The Mini Lady Dior is one of Dior's most popular bags, but the color I got (Fard) is not sold in the US for the mini size.

I know that the split in opinions is alarming, but given the fact that I got 3 other authentic opinions, I'm not sure if I absolutely trust that Entrupy is right. It seems like I'm in the minority though because everyone and their dogs seems to think that as long as you have an Entrupy certificate, you're golden. Other buyers are encouraging me to return the bag based on Entrupy's opinion. However I bought it from a friendly fellow purse addict, who is willing to work with me to get to the bottom of this. For now, I'll see if I can get a hold of the Dior SA who sold the bag to her to gain some comfort.

I just wanted to put this out there in case anyone else is questioning Entrupy's accuracy. I regret spending all this money on authentications just to end up nowhere, however I think I learned that the only party that can truly authenticate the bag is Dior's repair shop. Don't think I completely trust that fancy AI technology stuff.
 
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#75
I wish I had kept a copy of the listing, but a while back there was a fake CHANEL listed for auction on shopgoodwill that came with an Entrupy certificate. I reported the fake listing to Goodwill but of course since they had an Entrupy certificate the listing was not removed. I will be more diligent to keep these for reference in the future.
 
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