Ebay - the fakes, the fraud and the doubts

Jim Dollares
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Found this excellent article about Ebay and their business of misleading customers into thinking they are a trustworty platform. This will be my new go to standard referal whenever someone who made the beginner mistake of buying a watch on ebay is asking us....

"I bought this [insert name of TAG Heuer model] on ebay, is it authentic??"

http://tagheuerenthusiast.blogspot.com/2024/03/feature-ebay-no-fakes-no-fraud-no-doubt.html?m=1

upload_2024-3-16_21-41-16.jpeg


I totally understand that the world is run by profits and that Ebay has zero incentives to stop the money making illegal sales of counterfit products on their platform. At least this splendid column by the world's only site for all information everything TAG Heuer will make life a little bit easier for us, not having to keep telling people that

Luxury goods + Ebay = a bad time for consumers
 
flawless
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My experience mirrors Rob's - I've spoken to eBay CSAs on multiple occasions and reported numerous fakes and they just don't care at all.

I've made many reports of blindingly obvious fakes, only for the reports to be dismissed. Follow up contact with CSAs in chat regarding these reports has likewise been useless - they ignore the fact that issue being raised is the idiot reviewing the reports, not the fake watch itself. Twice I have asked for it to be escalated - only once did I receive a response, which was pointless and noncommital. I have since given up reporting fakes on eBay entirely and I often warn anyone considering buying watches on eBay of their risk.
 
Pitfitter446
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A hifi speaker cable maker near(ish) to me has tried telling eBay that a seller in China is listing fake cable constantly, eBay replied that in ‘their’ opinion the cable was genuine and ok to continue to be available! If they don’t listen to the manufacturer what chance do the rest of us have?
 
Aquagraph
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Ebay is a complete joke. But what should we expect, the two biggest marketplaces on the internet (Ebay and Amazon) are blatantly allowing fakes to be sold and making millions out of it. Unfortunately I don't actually think the customers really care that much, they just want cheap easy access to things they can't really afford and that's all that matters.
 
Shane paradis
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Aquagraph Aquagraph
Ebay is a complete joke. But what should we expect, the two biggest marketplaces on the internet (Ebay and Amazon) are blatantly allowing fakes to be sold and making millions out of it. Unfortunately I don't actually think the customers really care that much, they just want cheap easy access to things they can't really afford and that's all that matters.
Most won’t even notice, Rob. How many people have you seen enter a state of total denial when valid concerns are raised over a sketchy piece?
“The site said it was fine” “I had it checked by my jeweler” “I see others that look the same”

I still stand by what I said before. If you know what you’re doing, by all means eBay is actually pretty awesome. But if you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s a death trap. I won’t purchase anything on eBay that I’m not 100% familiar with.
 
akong71
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Shane paradis Shane paradis
Most won’t even notice, Rob. How many people have you seen enter a state of total denial when valid concerns are raised over a sketchy piece?
“The site said it was fine” “I had it checked by my jeweler” “I see others that look the same”

I still stand by what I said before. If you know what you’re doing, by all means eBay is actually pretty awesome. But if you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s a death trap. I won’t purchase anything on eBay that I’m not 100% familiar with.

So true! Some people don't want to believe they've been duped. There's one guy who purchased a fake TAG F1 chronograph and keeps proudly posting wrist shots on social media. I sent him private messages, telling him why his F1 was fake. He didn't believe me (or want to believe me). So now it's a couple of years later and I still see wrist shots of the same fake TAG F1.

I'm curious @Shane paradis as to when would you feel 100% confident buying from eBay? I did purchase a spare link for the bracelet on my Breitling Colt GMT from eBay. Breitling no longer produces this particular bracelet, and spare links are no longer available from Breitling. So I was forced to go to eBay. From all accounts, the link looks genuine. But I can't be 100% sure. It is a spare, and I don't currently need it. But it's nice to have it just in case. It wasn't a large investment, but it wasn't a bargain price either.
 
imagwai
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I think eBay do care about selling fakes, but they haven't found a way to eliminate them that's profitable. The eBay authentication program has a few issues but it has, for the most part, made buying and selling between users more safe. TAG has an issue in that their Aquaracers and F1s are too easy to replicate now, and they can potentially fool the authenticators.
 
Shane paradis
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akong71 akong71
So true! Some people don't want to believe they've been duped. There's one guy who purchased a fake TAG F1 chronograph and keeps proudly posting wrist shots on social media. I sent him private messages, telling him why his F1 was fake. He didn't believe me (or want to believe me). So now it's a couple of years later and I still see wrist shots of the same fake TAG F1.

I'm curious @Shane paradis as to when would you feel 100% confident buying from eBay? I did purchase a spare link for the bracelet on my Breitling Colt GMT from eBay. Breitling no longer produces this particular bracelet, and spare links are no longer available from Breitling. So I was forced to go to eBay. From all accounts, the link looks genuine. But I can't be 100% sure. It is a spare, and I don't currently need it. But it's nice to have it just in case. It wasn't a large investment, but it wasn't a bargain price either.
I’m fine with buying from eBay with older TAG heuer models. I tend to stick to the 90s or early 2000s models, as the fakes are easy to spot. I would also consider buying any watch that I’m 100% familiar with as long as I gave it a full inspection right away. Otherwise no thanks! But I wouldn’t touch anything that I wouldn’t be able to authenticate in my hands upon arrival, and I wouldn’t ever trust their guarantee at all
 
C
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I'm pretty new around here. I haven't really posted that often but I felt like I should chime in on this one. I have been an eBay seller and user since 1999. Nothing has changed in that time. Whether it be soccer kits, car parts, designer clothes, or watches. You are ALWAYS buying the seller. If the price is too good to be true, then it is fake. If the seller has a bad rating skip it. If you have doubts, skip it. Buy sellers with impeccable ratings only. Even better if they are cross-listed on Chrono24 and/or have their own website.

I just bought the TagHeuer "Barbie" Carrera on eBay and before that, I got the IWC AMG Petronas Pilot 41. Both are legit but I bought them from TheWatchBox and Watchmaxx eBay accounts. I also got a beautiful vintage Memosail on eBay. I got better deals through eBay than I did when I tried to make an actual offer through the TheWatchBox website!

It's not all doom and gloom. eBay can be a very valuable resource. You just, like anywhere else, have to do your due diligence.
 
flawless
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C C-Balls
You are ALWAYS buying the seller. If the price is too good to be true, then it is fake. If the seller has a bad rating skip it. If you have doubts, skip it. Buy sellers with impeccable ratings only.

This isn't about sellers or us - as enthusiasts - buying fakes, as much it is about eBay's current policy of not giving a crap - they don't care if a fake sells, because they get a cut. They're actively duping people into using their platform by assuring people that they're guaranteeing authenticity - yet it only happens with watches over a certain price. The CAZ1014 is a perfect example - it slips in under the standard authentication threshold, and yet their CSAs actively ignore obvious fakes.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186362333754
upload_2024-3-26_19-8-15.png upload_2024-3-26_19-34-38.png
Edited:
 
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Ara
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flawless flawless
My experience mirrors Rob's - I've spoken to eBay CSAs on multiple occasions and reported numerous fakes and they just don't care at all.

I've made many reports of blindingly obvious fakes, only for the reports to be dismissed. Follow up contact with CSAs in chat regarding these reports has likewise been useless - they ignore the fact that issue being raised is the idiot reviewing the reports, not the fake watch itself. Twice I have asked for it to be escalated - only once did I receive a response, which was pointless and noncommital. I have since given up reporting fakes on eBay entirely and I often warn anyone considering buying watches on eBay of their risk.
Last year I sold a small Gucci handbag my wife no longer wanted for $550. Shipped to authenticator in Vegas, arrived by 12:00pm a day or so later and was rejected by 12:12pm according to the message I received after. Couldn't even get a reason why for the rejection. I can't remember, either I didn't try hard enough, or there was no obvious way to dispute -- so I gave up quickly. eBay did say if I re-post I could get banned. Handbag was real, we bought it together but didn't have receipt or bag it came in. Made me think if there's no packaging they just reject items. Not much "authentication" if that's the case.
 
Aquagraph
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C C-Balls
IIf you have doubts, skip it. Buy sellers with impeccable ratings only.

Plenty of fakes being sold by people with 100% ratings unfortunately. How long does it take to find out if you bought a great fake? Usually when the battery runs out, which is 2-3 years. Way too late to leave negative feedback. Most people leave feedback within a few days.
 
Aquagraph
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Unfortunately I hear the boutiques have this regularly. Someone buys a watch cheap from ebay or AuthenticSwisstimepiecesdirect4U.com and then takes it to the boutique when the battery needs changing. Usually the boutiques can't tell either. Then they get a phone call and they have to let the owner know. Must be a lovely part of the job that.
 
Aquagraph
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Page loads 3, if you click 'load previous page' there's another 24.
 
Aquagraph
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Jim Dollares Jim Dollares
If I would ever buy something like this used, I would always include in my plan that I immediately send it to TAG Heuer for authentication

At least they will still be there to give you a refund. Unlike Mr Shady Ebay Seller who changes his name every two months (but keeps his feedback)
 
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