Facebook Marketplace - so many counterfeits

[Blown2CV]

I casually clicked on Facebook marketplace and was faced with what seemed to be numerous and exclusively counterfeit items being presented as genuine, and other things that just looked like they'd been stolen (quad bikes, trade tools etc).

Most notable were the watches... just acres of fake ste with no indication that they were fake (not even using the infamous word "replica") in the description.

If you want a laugh, head over.

[AmosMoses]

It’s a real st show on there. Anyone fancy a GMT for £80? There’s hundreds

[KungFuPanda]

I can't see any obvious way of reporting them either. Not that FB care anyway.

[ashleyman]

I joined a local buy sell group as I had some stuff I wanted taking away.

It’s so obvious who the shop lifters are. A few times a month a bunch of stuff will come up. All brand new etc... then nothing. A few weeks later. Same person. New haul of bits.

I was quite tempted by a £30 Nike fleece thing that still had the JD tags on it though! (I didn’t buy it)

[Deano84]

KungFuPanda said:

I can't see any obvious way of reporting them either. Not that FB care anyway.

You can report the item and click this is a "fraud or scam" and Facebook will remove it, if you click back on it after a minute or two, you will see the item is no longer available.

That said, If you tried to report them all you would be on there for years.

Edited to say Facebook instead of Ebay*

Edited by Deano84 on Tuesday 9th January 11:26

[CKQC]

I'm curious, would any of these watches fool anyone? I got sent a picture by a friend of his brother-in-law wearing a Patek Tourbillon. Needless to say it was an (awful) fake. However, it took my friend in who actually knows a little about watches.

Are there any real world pictures of what these things look and feel like? I suspect they are completely obvious fakes to anyone with some working knowledge.

[supercommuter]

CKQC said:

I'm curious, would any of these watches fool anyone? I got sent a picture by a friend of his brother-in-law wearing a Patek Tourbillon. Needless to say it was an (awful) fake. However, it took my friend in who actually knows a little about watches.

Are there any real world pictures of what these things look and feel like? I suspect they are completely obvious fakes to anyone with some working knowledge.

I came across a fake AP Royal Oak in gold in China Town, Manhattan last week. It was a very very good fake..

[Deano84]

CKQC said:

I'm curious, would any of these watches fool anyone? I got sent a picture by a friend of his brother-in-law wearing a Patek Tourbillon. Needless to say it was an (awful) fake. However, it took my friend in who actually knows a little about watches.

Are there any real world pictures of what these things look and feel like? I suspect they are completely obvious fakes to anyone with some working knowledge.

Some of them look quite genuine, the key to detecting a fake is if you actually hold the watch, as normally the weight is a give away (especially with watches such as Breitling, AP and Hublot) and also the detail on the actual watch itself, such as misalignment of parts on the dial, poor quality evident ON the deployment buckle, chronograph not working etc.

Edited by Deano84 on Wednesday 10th January 18:31

Edited by Deano84 on Wednesday 10th January 18:34

[Mr_C]

It’s usually the bracelets or straps that give them away, they feel too light and sharp edged.

[Crockefeller]

Most fakes are obvious when you handle them as others have said. The best ones, “superfakes”, would be much harder as they will use genuine movements and 18K gold cases etc.

I’ve seen quite a few and I’m writing an essay on this very topic right now so am full of useless info on the subject!

Useless fact no.1 - a $250 fake may be made up of components totalling 27cents.

[KungFuPanda]

Crockefeller said:

Most fakes are obvious when you handle them as others have said. The best ones, “superfakes”, would be much harder as they will use genuine movements and 18K gold cases etc.

I’ve seen quite a few and I’m writing an essay on this very topic right now so am full of useless info on the subject!

Useless fact no.1 - a $250 fake may be made up of components totalling 27cents.

Do you know nothing man? It’s the marketing costs of the fake which makes up the bulk of the production costs...

[Convert]

KungFuPanda said:

Do you know nothing man? It’s the marketing costs of the fake which makes up the bulk of the production costs...

This comment deserves more recognition, bravo sir!

It seems to be the same few who keep advertising the fakes, I've been reporting them everytime I see them.

[Hoofy]

KungFuPanda said:

Do you know nothing man? It’s the marketing costs of the fake which makes up the bulk of the production costs...

[CKQC]

Crockefeller said:

Most fakes are obvious when you handle them as others have said. The best ones, “superfakes”, would be much harder as they will use genuine movements and 18K gold cases etc.

I’ve seen quite a few and I’m writing an essay on this very topic right now so am full of useless info on the subject!

Useless fact no.1 - a $250 fake may be made up of components totalling 27cents.

I think we'd be interested to see this! Particularly if it has comparisons and pictures! I have to say, I've never come across or been sold a fake watch (well, I hope so anyway!)

[Blown2CV]

what's the point in making a really high quality fake using genuine movement? Bit of a high cost/risk enterprise. Presume the aim is to sell it for the same money as a genuine item (as opposed to the "Rolex for £150 honest" ste that is the subject of this thread) but how much effort, resources, time would it take to get close? Lots... too much?

[Hoofy]

Good question. I guess the issue is that if you sell it as your own brand, that requires a lot of marketing. Easier to drip feed the ebay/gumtree/facebook market selling fakes as used genuine items?

[WelshChris]

Hoofy said:

Good question. I guess the issue is that if you sell it as your own brand, that requires a lot of marketing. Easier to drip feed the ebay/gumtree/facebook market selling fakes as used genuine items?

I suspect that people selling fakes as fakes make enough without trying to knock them out as genuine!

[hilly10]

I wonder if the cops monitor the FB market place I sure they could lock up a fair few crims after an hour

[Hoofy]

WelshChris said:

Hoofy said:

Good question. I guess the issue is that if you sell it as your own brand, that requires a lot of marketing. Easier to drip feed the ebay/gumtree/facebook market selling fakes as used genuine items?

I suspect that people selling fakes as fakes make enough without trying to knock them out as genuine!

The issue is why they might spend so long to make one that is really, really good. I've tried a few Alphas and side by side with the real thing, they're not bad. They'd fool many non-WIS especially if you didn't have the original to compare so you don't have to be too accurate, just get Sekonda level of quality or thereabouts and you're good to go.

[Blown2CV]

WelshChris said:

Hoofy said:

Good question. I guess the issue is that if you sell it as your own brand, that requires a lot of marketing. Easier to drip feed the ebay/gumtree/facebook market selling fakes as used genuine items?

I suspect that people selling fakes as fakes make enough without trying to knock them out as genuine!

well exactly. A £20 watch poorly made to look like a £5k watch and being sold for £200 would seem the fake sweet spot.

i guess the point with the FB stuff though is that much of it makes no mention of them being fake or replica and some even have what appears to be an attempt at fake papers and box etc