Crimestoppers
Fearless
Fake fashion is more harmful than you might think
it’s never a good deal.
So, you’re tempted by the idea of getting your favourite brand at a fraction of the cost from an unofficial store?
Or perhaps you’ve been influenced by the latest trend, and are about to buy from an unverified website online?
While you think you’re being money savvy, getting a good deal and saving money in the process, fake fashion can hurt your wallet in the long term.
Fake clothing, footwear and accessories are often made with low-quality materials and aren’t as durable as genuine brands. This means they’re flimsy and prone to faster wear and tear damage, and sometimes don’t even hold together on the first use, so you’ll end up having to replace fake products more often.
When you buy fake fashion, you’re supporting illegal and criminal activities, such as child and forced labour, and contributing to a dangerous underground economy which can include drug smuggling, serious incidents of violence, and hazardous working conditions which can lead to multiple deaths.
Just because you see others buying fake clothing, footwear and accessories, it doesn’t make it right.
*This is a purely fictional case study and the characters do not represent real people.
Meet Lucy, a fashion enthusiast with an eye for style.
As a lover of designer brands, Lucy is keen to keep up with social trends and is constantly on the lookout for bargains on designer brands.
Unknowingly, Lucy has become entangled in a web of fake fashion.
While scrolling through social media, Lucy stumbles upon an ad for what she believes is an authentic designer dress.
She’s immediately intrigued, excited by the prospect of owning a beautiful luxury item and bragging to friends about it.
The best thing about the dress? It’s not as expensive as she thought it would be.
She quickly places an order. Who can resist a designer bargain?
Lucy is giddy as she eagerly awaits the arrival of her dress.
It’s all she’s talked about, both to friends and family, and she plans on wearing it to an upcoming wedding.
Lucy keeps dreaming about putting the dress on for the first time; how confident it will make her feel, and how impressed her friends will be.
But when the package finally arrives and she opens it, Lucy is met with disappointment.
The dress she had imagined to be luxury, made of superior quality, falls short of her expectations.
The fabric is cheap and flimsy. The stitching is uneven. The spelling on the name tag is completely wrong. The overall finish of the dress lacks finesse.
Lucy quickly realises it’s a fake.
She realises her mistake.
She spent her hard-earned money on a knock-off, only to find out that it was inferior in quality and cost her more in the long run.
She now has to face the embarrassment of telling friends and family.
She still doesn’t have a suitable dress to wear to the wedding.
Her perfect day is now ruined. Lucy becomes distraught and breaks down to those around her. They show her that she needs to recognise the importance of supporting authentic designers and what happens when you compromise on quality for the sake of ‘getting a good deal’. She now realises that she’s been duped by criminals, who are likely to be using forced labour, producing illegal goods in hazardous working conditions, putting vulnerable lives at risk.
Lucy’s unfortunate experience serves as a cautionary tale for others who may be tempted by a seemingly good deal online. Her story highlights the consequences associated with buying fake, from financial loss and compromised style to the embarrassment that comes along with that.
Fake clothing is dangerous.
Fake fashion has been found to contain hazardous chemicals and heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium and lead.
These substances are known to be harmful to our health and can cause serious long-term damage.
Both arsenic and cadmium are known carcinogens.
Lead is highly dangerous. Exposure to lead can be incredibly damaging, particularly for children, as their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to lead’s harmful effects.
Genuine products undergo rigorous testing to ensure they’re safe for use. Often, fake clothing, footwear and accessories don’t undergo any testing, falling short of safety standards.
Not only are these products made from low-quality materials where the chemicals can be harmful to your skin, but they can flare up allergies, cause skin irritation, and the materials themselves can even catch fire more easily, putting you or your loved ones at unnecessary risk.
Don’t let the allure of a good deal blind you to the dangers of fake fashion.
Do you know who's sourcing and selling fake goods? You can tell us what you know, and remain 100% anonymous - guaranteed. No one will ever know that you got in touch with us.
What pushes people to buy fake clothing, footwear and accessories?
- Thinking they’ve got a bargain
- The genuine product being too expensive
- Keeping up with trends
- Fake products often look similar to the genuine product
- Being influenced by social media
Fake clothing, real consequences.
Spotting the signs of fake fashion
Fake goods are becoming increasingly sophisticated and it’s becoming harder to tell the difference between genuine and fake items. Here are some of the signs to spot to protect yourself and your loved ones the next time you’re looking for a good deal:
- Low price
An incredibly low price is the most common giveaway. If it looks too good to be true, that’s because it probably is. - Stitching
Genuine brands put effort into their craftsmanship. If a product is authentic, the stitching will appear much cleaner, straighter, more uniform and will contain more stiches per square inch. Fake items have less stitching, and the lines won’t appear as straight or uniform. - Fabric
Regardless of the type of fabric used, brands will source quality materials or use genuine leather. Fake fashion will use low-quality materials, faux leather, or even materials treated with harmful and dangerous chemicals. - Spelling
While fraudsters have become adept at creating fake goods, still check for spelling errors on fake products. Check the logo to see if the brand name is spelled correctly, check the inside labels and remember, if a product claims to be ‘100% genuine’, it’s likely it’s not. - Logo
Logos on genuine or designer brands should look perfect. There should be no imperfections, discrepancies or missing details from the company name or logo icon. Nowadays, many genuine brands are using metal or leather detailing on their logos, whereas fake goods will be missing the logo entirely or will look cheaply put together.
Spot genuine products:
- User review
Trusted websites will have verified user reviews, sometimes with pictures and videos too. Use these to get customer feedback on products. - Legitimate resellers
Make sure that you're buying from a licensed stockist. Reputable brands often display links to websites where you can buy their products.
When you spot the warning signs for fake products, protect yourself and those close to you by speaking up and telling us what you know.
As an independent charity, we keep you 100% anonymous - so you’ll never have to worry about anyone finding out you’ve spoken to us.
