friend sells counterfeit goods on ebay

Avoriaz

pigletpooh wrote: »

…She doesn't seem to comprehend that what she's doing is against the law, she said as far as she knows when she buys it its real so she sells it on the same basis it was sold to her.:rolleyes:

That will be laughed out of court.

The prosecution will have details of her buying account and her selling account.

Contains_Mild_Peril

Avoriaz wrote: »

That will be laughed out of court.

The prosecution will have details of her buying account and her selling account.

Exactly. It would be obvious to anyone paying such low wholesale prices for "designer" items that they must be either counterfeit or stolen.
If this seller quits now while she's ahead, she might never get caught. If not, she could be in a whole heap of trouble. She would not only be banned from eBay but could have to repay the money she's conned from people and whatever unpaid tax she might owe, along with hefty fines - if she's lucky.

hollydays

Think your friend might be getting confused with the law re buying stolen goods.If you claim you had no idea goods were stolen,after you had bought them,it used to be that you couldnt be held liable.

Moglex

Blacksheep1979 wrote: »

of course it makes a difference, if she is just concerned about her friend then that is plain wrong it means she condones the fact people are getting ripped off. If she is concerned about people getting ripped off or about people getting ripped off and her friend getting caught that is ok as it shows they are concerned about the wrongdoing.

And that should inform our actions how, exactly?

Surely our response is to help the o/p stop her friend scamming people.

Or do you think that if she were only concerned about her friend we shouldn't do what we can to stop people getting scammed?

frivolous_fay

Moglex wrote: »

And that should inform our actions how, exactly?

Surely our response is to help the o/p stop her friend scamming people.

That's kind of why I asked the original question. The simplest way of stopping someone scamming people is to report them to the authorities. That's great, if OP doesn't mind her friend getting a criminal record and jeapordising her job. But something tells me she's looking for a slightly more subtle solution.

Moglex

frivolous_fay wrote: »

That's kind of why I asked the original question. The simplest way of stopping someone scamming people is to report them to the authorities. That's great, if OP doesn't mind her friend getting a criminal record and jeapordising her job. But something tells me she's looking for a slightly more subtle solution.

I'd hope that if she reads this thread she would very quickly stop her antics!

frivolous_fay

The 'quite a few' disputes should definitely be ringing alarm bells - at the very least, ebay will be looking to shut her operation down if it continues. If that's the worst that happens, it would be a lucky escape in the circumstances.

ribenagirl

I don't imagine it will be too long before disgruntled sellers start reporting her listings to Ebay. They are taking fraud very seriously at the moment. I should know; I've had my cloth nappy listings removed on the basis that they are misdescribed and are really dirty knickers!

Honestly though - people make their own beds. If you think you've done all you can to dissuade her, then at least you know you've done your bit...wait until the sh*t hits the fan and depending on how good a friend you consider yourself, help her pick up the pieces afterwards x

richt71

pigletpooh wrote: »

Hi,

my problem is that one of my friends is selling fake designer jewellery, handbags and other clothing on ebay. Basically she buys it under one account for a pound from the Far East then goes on to sell it for £50-200 as the real deal on her selling ID.

I'm just really really worried she's going to get caught, she's already told me she's had quite a few paypal disputes with folk wanting their money back, I think she's made over £2k so far. I know that this is against the law; the Trade Descriptions Act (hope this is the right name) and the fact she is doing it so often is making me REALLY worried, esp if some of her customers club together and get the police involved. I read something last month in a magazine about a girl who sold a fake Louis Vuitton handbag and got in heaps of sh*t about a year later with the police.

She doesn't seem to comprehend that what she's doing is against the law, she said as far as she knows when she buys it its real so she sells it on the same basis it was sold to her.:rolleyes:

Very dangerous as it's fraud in reality. Also ebay and the police are cracking down on this after a number of campaigns about fake stuff. She could face real and serious reprecussions here if caught (and think it's only a matter of time before a buyer complains).

pigletpooh

Hey thanks for all your replies. Of course I don't want to see people getting scammed, it gives me a really sick feeling to think that her new kitchen and holidays are getting paid for by this. But at the same time, she's my friend and I'd rather she saw the light and just bloody stopped doing it before she gets caught, its only a matter of time before a buyer realises their rights and takes it further.