Goods counterfeit but no proof - credit card chargeback???

finance-boy

Hi, I bought some counterfeit goods from a non-EU website. I'm 101% certain that they're counterfeit but I've contacted the (supposed) manufacturer to help me confirm it and they just couldn't care less.

I contacted Trading Standards, but they insisted that, as it was non-EU, they had no jurisdiction. And to have them approved by a third party would cost more than the goods themselves.

So where do I go from here? I paid with my credit card, and my friend said I should just perform a chargeback anyway since they probably won't contest it (they won't want to draw attention to themselves). But since I have no hard proof that they're fake (though they clearly are), I wouldn't want to get in trouble for initiating a chargeback unlawfully. And wouldn't a chargeback made on the basis of the goods being fake get rejected outright if I don't have proof that they're fake?

I can't even claim that I didn't receive the parcel since it was signed-for (although again, I wonder if they'd contest this?)

So... what should I do? Also, what are the time-limits involved with stuff like this?

the_insider

What are the goods? If you purchased them at the going rate for the 'authentic' item then why did you ship them in from outside the EU? Did the website state that they were genuine. If not, you may be able to claim a chargeback due to the mis-representation of the product.

sheerdelight

You haven't told us much. What did you buy and how much did the goods cost? If you take the goods to your local Trading Standards Office can an officer there tell you if they are counterfeit and give a letter to that effect thereby allowing you to pursue your claim.

gnaril

Without an independant report you bank will not touch it- as without this Mastercard would rule in favour of any merchant as your bank will not have supplied the correct documentation to validate a chargeback as goods not as described.

Its not about the Merchant not contesting the chargeback- Its the merchants bank and trust me if there is anything slightly wrong with your documentation they will represent the transaction.

time limits 120 days from the transsaction date or alternatively the date the goods were recieved.

Might help if you post what you paid for, you might get some advice as where to obtain an independant report.

pmduk

Don't even think about claiming you didn't receive the goods. That is fraud. Don't make yourself as bad as them

omen666

what was the dodgy website?

Hintza

sheerdelight wrote: »

If you take the goods to your local Trading Standards Office can an officer there tell you if they are counterfeit and give a letter to that effect thereby allowing you to pursue your claim.

You need to read the original post. What are trading standards going to do?

sheerdelight

Yes of course the seller is likely to be outside any Trading Standards jurisdiction. However Trading Standards may be able to give letter stating that goods are indeed counterfeit thereby allowing purchaser to possibly make a claim from credit card company!

R0bert_Sterling

Was it a Chinese based website? If so, it was bound to be knockoff... and you have no recourse (no recourse financially viable to follow up anyway)