SHOPPING ON THE INTERNET - BE SUPER CAUTIOUS - EVEN ON THE BIG WEBSITES! !

[chief38]

NOTHING is sacred anymore! Amazon and eBay often ship non genuine items. Some items which I'll refer to as specialty items are better off purchased from a known dealer or distributor and not on eBay or Amazon! Yes, they will be more expensive but at least you will get the real deal.

Today they are counterfeiting tools, calipers, instruments, appliances, clothing, furniture, eyewear, med's, shoes etc - you name it.... nothing is immune. When you want a tool like a set of Calipers and normally they cost around $300 bucks from a legit dealer, do not believe you are getting the same item in eBay or Amazon for #100 bucks! Some people don't really care, I do.

Some of the items being counterfeited that I have unfortunately encountered lately are GE refrigerator filters, AC replacement Capacitors, Champion spark plugs, automotive key fobs and more. I have learned my lesson (never thought they'd counterfeit sone of these items) but will no longer buy certain items on Amazon or eBay. Just a heads up Guys and Gals.

 

[NYlakesider]

NOTHING is sacred anymore! Amazon and eBay often ship non genuine items. Some items which I'll refer to as specialty items are better off purchased from a known dealer or distributor and not on eBay or Amazon! Yes, they will be more expensive but at least you will get the real deal.

Today they are counterfeiting tools, calipers, instruments, appliances, clothing, furniture, eyewear, med's, shoes etc - you name it.... nothing is immune. When you want a tool like a set of Calipers and normally they cost around $300 bucks from a legit dealer, do not believe you are getting the same item in eBay or Amazon for #100 bucks! Some people don't really care, I do.

Some of the items being counterfeited that I have unfortunately encountered lately are GE refrigerator filters, AC replacement Capacitors, Champion spark plugs, automotive key fobs and more. I have learned my lesson (never thought they'd counterfeit sone of these items) but will no longer buy certain items on Amazon or eBay. Just a heads up Guys and Gals.

Thanks, will take under serious advisement!

 

[GypsmJim]

I recently wanted a particular item, with the part number "xxx". Several came up on EBay at half the normal price, and the description said "For xxx". The writeup below had "unbranded" by the manufacturer's name.

Obviously, I was seeing a knockoff. What bothered me was that they used a picture from the manufacturer's web site.

I think if you're careful and read everything, you'll be OK.

 

[Bald1]

This is currently happening with the Stanley travel mug craze. Red and pink are hot commodities. People literally fist fighting over them

 

[glenwolde]

I got a counterfeit Motorcraft oil filter. It was listed as OEM. That's serious. It was a good fake but I happened to find a genuine one I had after I had ordered it. I compared them and you could tell it was fake but it wasn't easy. I asked the Ford dealer about it and they said they see them all the time.

My daughter ordered some gardening tools during the pandemic. They seemed so cheap. She didn't read the description well and kind of relied on the picture. But there was no scale. They were miniature, like 4" long and completely useless for anything. It was worth the price for the laugh.

 

[taz666]

[shakes fist in air]Bring back the brick and mortar.[/shakes fist in air]

 

[Krogen]

I'm convinced I got some counterfeit housewares items from Amazon. They looked right, but failed to work as well as the real thing. Normally inexpensive items, you'd think there was no money in counterfeiting them.

I was looking for a Mitutoyo digital caliper. I've used an old dial caliper for handloading. A digital makes relative measurements easy - no math! So off I went.

Having seen a Youtube on ID'ing Mitutoyo fakes, I looked at Ebay and Amazon. Sure enough there were fakes all around. In some cases the cheap prices were giveaways. In others, the indicators were subtle and prices slightly lower than the real thing. It would be easy to get fooled. I ended up going to the Mitutoyo site to find authorized dealers and bought from one of them. The good news is the caliper passed the YouTube test. I highly doubt it's a counterfeit. If it is, it's a darn good one.

 

[Yaworski]

What's worse is that some specialty sites will sell fakes without realizing it. CarPartsInc.com will buy a few cases of filters from a jobber and believe that they are Motorcraft because the boxes look right. However, they are fakes.

Organized retail theft rings masquerading as jobbers will sell products back to the store they stole them from.

Now I'm wondering if my Melita coffee filters are real.

 

[MRB1]

When I buy off the internet I do so knowing that the item might not be what was original equipment or a clone. OEM equipment isn't always top drawer, so I have to judge accordingly. Some items just can't be substituted. Most of my problems have been with the supplier or shipper.

 

[Bald1]

When I buy off the internet I do so knowing that the item might not be what was original equipment or a clone. OEM equipment isn't always top drawer, so I have to judge accordingly. Some items just can't be substituted. Most of my problems have been with the supplier or shipper.

That’s fine and dandy but the day I buy a S&W online and a Taurus look a like shows up, I’m gonna be pissed.

 

[Fishinfool]

"Fakes" are becoming a real problem in the watch world. There have always been "Rolex" copies out there, and most could be spotted by anyone with just a little knowledge.

But today, there are what are being called "Super Fakes". These watches are not cheap - $800 or more, but are so well done they can and do fool experts. Serious issue when they are successfully copying watches worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Lots of markup on products manufactured offshore, then imported and re-branded by big name American manufacturers. Sometimes you can find a good deal on the identical item stamped with the real manufacturers name.

Just recently, I was in the market for a good night vision Infrared Illuminator for coyote hunting. The brand name model by an American company I was interested in was about $200. Fine print it was made in China. Found an identical looking illuminator on Amazon for $100. Little more digging, and it turns out it is the same illuminator, as this chinese company also manufacturers the "American" version. Both come out of the same factory.

Ordered the Chicom Amazon version, and compared it with my buddies big name American one. Exactly the same in every aspect, except the name stamped on the light, and the price...

Larry

 

[NFrameFred]

This is currently happening with the Stanley travel mug craze. Red and pink are hot commodities. People literally fist fighting over them

I've read where those wil not pass a swab test for lead inside the mug . . .

 

[GypsmJim]

[shakes fist in air]Bring back the brick and mortar.[/shakes fist in air]

I have a local brick and mortar. It's 3rd generation. The last generation moved to FL and then hired a manager to take care of the place. While it used to be old codgers and / or their Grandson in the store, now we have a bunch of high school dropouts hired by the manager who never leaves the office.

The kid on the floor doesn't know a bolt from a screw. When I asked for alkyd paint he showed me latex. The girlie cashier with nose ear and tongue piercings usually can't find time to look up from her farcebook page.

No thanks. What I need is on Amazon. It's clearly marked and it comes in 3 days. I don't have to drive there and waste gasoline, and I don't have to put up with dumb people.

 

[DWalt]

I buy lotsa stuff off the internet. I haven't seen a fake knockoff of a name brand - yet. I don't understand a rage over a Stanley travel mug. I did see something on the news about lead content. My travel mug is a styrofoam Whataburger cup and lid. I have a stainless steel travel mug but I very seldom use it. I don't know if my 8" Mitutoyo dial caliper is fake or not. I bought it 20 years ago at a garage sale for $5, so it is probably not. All I care about is if it works, and it seems so. I also have a 6" no-name dial caliper and it seems to work just as well as the Mitu. Not interested in owning any digital measuring instruments. I prefer dials.

 

[Telecaster]

We've been using Chinazon less and less lately because of this and other issues.

 

[LVSteve]

Ordered the Chicom Amazon version, and compared it with my buddies big name American one. Exactly the same in every aspect, except the name stamped on the light, and the price...

Larry

Does it work as well as the US badged version?

 

[Bald1]

I buy lotsa stuff off the internet. I haven't seen a fake knockoff of a name brand - yet. I don't understand a rage over a Stanley travel mug. I did see something on the news about lead content. My travel mug is a styrofoam Whataburger cup and lid. I have a stainless steel travel mug but I very seldom use it. I don't know if my 8" Mitutoyo dial caliper is fake or not. I bought it 20 years ago at a garage sale for $5, so it is probably not. All I care about is if it works, and it seems so. I also have a 6" no-name dial caliper and it seems to work just as well as the Mitu. Not interested in owning any digital measuring instruments. I prefer dials.

The rage of Stanley travel mugs is because millennials discovered them. And retro is cool. What once was old is new again. My son who will be 30 in May has a water bottle he is constantly filling. A co worker of his told him he needed one of those new Stanley’s. Upon showing my son his Stanley mug and thermos my son says “ my dad carries a thermos like that every day for longer than I’ve been alive. He even had a matching lunchbox. It’s not new”.

 

[Greyman50]

Flea markets still have some really good deals, just have to find one that has “ old stuff”. Going in the AM to a real good one and has Real Fresh produce. Look for “ stuff” first then load up on produce, good for over a week.

 

[DWalt]

Flea markets still have some really good deals, just have to find one that has “ old stuff”. Going in the AM to a real good one and has Real Fresh produce. Look for “ stuff” first then load up on produce, good for over a week.

Unbelievable the merchandise you can find at flea markets in the Texas border towns. I once found a 100 round Thompson SMG magazine on a table for $50. Like a fool I did not buy it. When I lived in Laredo over 30 years ago, there were three or four different ones every weekend.and I would hit them all. Tons of fake Rolex wristwatches that looked like the real thing. Not too much else you could do there for cheap entertainment. I enjoyed living there as it was a very different experience.

 

[GypsmJim]

Does it work as well as the US badged version?

I bought a Trijicon red dot 2 years ago at a gun show. I knew the "real" one cost about $400, and I got this for $40. It looked good, so I bought it anyway.

What sold me was the package looked real, it said "Trijicon", made in USA, etc. When I got it home I realized it was a fake because of some other code numbers on the bottom. (I kinda suspected, but I was willing to lose 40 bucks.)

So far, on a .22 RF revolver it has worked perfect. No complaints. Nevertheless, in the future I would buy a $120 model from a reputable lower end company.