For those who have brought LV must have used some sort of authenticating service at one point or another. One company came to mind, namely AuthenticateFirst.com. It was actually quite sad sorry of how I know about them. I heard it from a client who sold her Hermes Birkin on Ebay only to have the buyer scam her. How did the buyer her you ask? The buyer will have an authentication service "authenticate" her bag and the result will come back as a "Fake". Then the buyer files SND with paypal and they return the item back to the seller. (if you are lucky they send you back the bag/ebay sometimes ask them to distroy the counterfeit)
Awhen buyers buy an expensive item and they want to return the item they have to motivations:
1. Buyers Remores
2. Questionable Authenticity
3. Scam You
Scenario 1
Most authentication companies will work on the biase that the item is fake. If the buyer believes its fake, the authenticator will most like side with the buyers opinion just so that they can have repeat business.
Scenario 2
Don't know if its real but brough it anyways because it was cheap. The authenticator will look for all the markings of a fake from internet sources- NOT EXACTLY promising. Real experts draw from experience and have their way to tell.
For example; I have an Louis Vuitton Zippy wallet for over 7 years and this wallet still looks great to this day. However, the date code is rubbed off- So...to the casual observer its a fake. Even my friends who have worked for LV things its fake. The only person that can tell was expert- he is pawnshop owner from Fort Lauderdale. He is in the business for 20 years and I buy stuff bags from him. He is literally THE AUTHENTICATOR
Scenario 3
The Bait and Switch
Scammer buys a real bag and Files SND with Ebay. Authenticate fake bag as proof. The scammer gets the bag for FREE
Here is an article on AUTHENTICATEFIRST.com
http://thedirty.com/2014/04/authenticate-first-fraud-company/
Sunday 31 August 2014
Authenticating Damier Inventeur Belt
This belt is probably one of the hardest belt to authenticate. Fakes are not as common with this belt where as the signature belt is probably the most counterfeit belt.
One of the better authenticating articles online more comprehensive than the EBAY guide:
http://yourauthenticator.blogspot.ca/2014/06/how-to-authenticate-louis-vuitton.html
In addition to Anna Larik post, the inventeur belt has the following:
1. Made in Spain
2. The serial is written not by the buckle and not in the middle of the belt.
3. The buckle is screwed on and not clipped on
Final thought:
1. If the belt is not on the website. ITS A FAKE NO EXCEPTION.
2. If this belt is less than 300, there is a good chance its a fake...as this belt is over 700 retail with taxes in.
3. Authentication services that say they can authenticate this belt by pictures they are full of shit! You have to feel the quality and craftsmanship to determine the authenticity.
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