How to Spot Fake Fragrance & Suglasses

The UK's Daily Mirror just alerted their readers to the dangers of counterfeits by writing a short 'How to Spot a Fake' piece in their Sunday Consumer section. The Authentics Foundation thought we'd share with you some of their tips:

"Sunglasses

Sunglasses are seen as an easy target by counterfeiters, as consumers are attracted by the promise of "designer" versions at bargain prices.

The dangers: Fake designer shades are unlikely to provide protection against UV rays, which can permanently damage your eyes.

How To Spot A Fake: Watch out for "designer" sunglasses sold unpackaged or in flimsy, unmarked plastic sleeves. Test the hinges, which are inferior in fakes, and examine the designer name - often you can just scratch it off. A lack of the peel-off certificate proving UV protection is another pointer.

Perfume

If you're planning to buy perfume, stick to trustworthy shops, chemists and department stores or look out for legitimate bargains at airports.

The dangers: Counterfeit perfume can often burn your skin or leave you with a rash. Tests on some have found them to contain urine.

How To Spot A Fake: Be wary of products with lowquality packaging, no logos, or misspelt brand names. As perfumes are highend products, they're mostly sold in reputable outlets - not from a suitcase."

Read the full story here

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NY's First Counterfeit Case: It's Bad for your Health

Women's Wear Daily has reported the first ever successful suit against a counterfeit perfume store in New York. The offending store, called Price Right and Watches is located at 1205 Broadway in Manhattan; when raided by police, it was found to house hundreds of fake fragrances bearing the marks of many name brands.

And that's not all these phony perfumes were bearing--the $3 million dollars worth of fakes are said to be a health hazard.

"Because fragrances are applied to the skin — and some counterfeits have been shown to include additives such as urine and antifreeze — fakes can pose a significant public safety issue, said Bradley Schnur, president and chief operating officer of SES and a former assistant district attorney in Brooklyn. "It's a health issue."

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