Looking to score this season’s Prada bag at 60% off? There will always be the temptation to buy luxury goods at a reduced cost, otherwise why else would we happily elbow our way through the sale-seekers in January, spend hours at outlet shopping centres and scour the internet for that coveted handbag marked down to a bonafide bargain?
But buyer beware, counterfeit sites are swarming the internet and Google (along with other search engines, of course) is at the heart of this controversy. Search for ‘UGG Australia’ and at least six sponsored links pop up offering up to 70% off, all counterfeit, most based in China. Hand over your credit card details and it is unlikely you will ever receive the product; and if you do, it will be a cheaply-made fake.
Google does perform random checks on the companies that purchase ad space, however the company says it cannot regulate the internet. Experts say it’s best to avoid sites with an unusual domain name or those which include numbers or hyphens, and always look for a postal address on the website. And remember if it’s too good to be true, it probably is – unless it’s being sold on www.vente-privee.com of course!
