How to identify a fake bag

This is the fake Gucci bag bought from "designer2002"

All the photos taken here are taken with the non-authentic bag that I bought from "designer2002".

The following defects are pointed out by the staff of Gucci Store, DFS Galleria Auckland in New Zealand.

Click on photos to view an enlarged version. Use "Back" button to come back to this page.

E-mail communications about how "designer2002" denied fact about the non-authentic bag are at the end of this page.

From BillPoint to ME Dated: 6 Apr 2002, 8:00am	Thank you for using eBay Payments to pay for your item(s)! This e-mail is your receipt to confirm your payment; you may want to keep it for your records. The seller DESIGNER2002 has been sent an e-mail confirming your payment.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 9 Apr 2002, 2:14am	I COULD NOT REPLY TO YOU OVER THE WEEKEND BECAUSE I WAS OUT OF TOWN. I DID RECIEVE YOUR PAYMENT BUT THE SHIPPING AND HANDLING TO NEW ZEALAND IS $18.95 (GLOBAL, PRIORITY) SO PLEASE SEND ME THE DIFERENCE FOR THE SHIPPING AND I WILL SHIP OUT ITEM. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY. THANK YOU
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 10 Apr 2002, 2:18am	YES. I DID SEE YOUR PAYMENT BUT SINCE I WAS OUT OF THE OFFICE I COULD NOT SHIP IT OUT THAT DAY. SO, PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR ALL THIS INCONVINIENCE. I WILL SHIP OUT THE ITEM TODAY OR THE LATEST TOMORROW MORNING
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 12 Apr 2002, 1:47am	i did recieved trhe poayment and now i am able to ship out your item via usps thank you
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 23 Apr 2002, 6:52pm	The Gucci bag has arrived. Information based on an evaluation by a Gucci store in DFS Galleria, Auckland, New Zealand is that the bag is NOT authentic. Evident by the following defects: 1. inside tag is not aligned probably; 2. paint on the zipper has come off; 3. traces of glue has been found on the handle and at the back of the inside tag; 4. imprint text on the inside tag is rotated by a few degrees (not parallel with the edges of the tag) 5. smells of authentic genuine leather cannot possibly be imitated, your bag only have smell of plastic, and doesn't have a "Gucci leather smell". 6. stitching is not aligned probably on many places Gucci store staff emphasis that a truly authentic Gucci product will DEFINITLY NOT have these defects. From the above evident, I believed I have been ripped off. I demand a full refund INCLUDE shipping cost as quoted in your item description (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=711752935&ed=1018035934&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOA:US:2, Money Back: Items are 100% authentic oryour money back.) You have 72 hours to reply to this, otherwise, I will treat this as a fraud. eBay, BillPoint, PayPal and credit card centerwill be notified, negative feedback will be given. Upon with full refund with extra shipping cost for me to send the bag back to you, I will send the bag to you as soon as the receipt of refund. I accept PayPal. Shipping cost from NZ to USA is US$15 for air-mail parcel, US$30 for international express. Economy service is not available in New Zealand. All up total refund is: $129+8+10.95+return shipping cost from NZ to US at your choice.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 24 Apr 2002, 2:09am	wait up!!!! if you take a look at all my feedbacks you will noticed that all my items are 100% authentic as stated on my policy. and if you keep saying that the bag is fake i will go ahead and proceed with the refund, but following the policy stated by ebay. ebay's seller protection policystates that seller is allowed to give money refunds after he recieves back the merchandise, and seller does not have to pay for the shipping. so as soon as i have the merchandise on my handas i will proceed with the refund. thank you
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 25 Apr 2002, 12:54pm	I noticed about your feedback, but in this situation, it's not the feedback that counts. It's the fact that your Gucci bag is NOT authentic. This is also not a refund, it's a fraud situation which we want the money back or else take action against you. I now give you a chance to settle this only between us. We had an evaluation, as I said, from a Gucci store staff to back up the fact that you bag is not authentic. Now, if you still insist that the bag is 100% authentic Gucci, then I'll notify eBay and credit card center as fraud situation. I've been disappointed in you because of you delayed reply in our initial contacts despite the fact that you've been online trading during that few days. The non-authentic bag also made me having no confidence in you anymore. This confidence issue here can only be solved by you sending me my money plus 2-way shipping, then I send the good out. eBay rules don't apply here because the bag is not the one described in your item description (being non-authentic) and you will not be protect by eBay rules. Just to let you know that the return parcel will be traced by tracking service that I will pay myself. Photo will also be taken to keep as a reference and evidence.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 26 Apr 2002, 2:21am	since you are saying that my bag is fake, i do not have a problem with giving you a refund, i will relist it again anyways!!! but, since you do not trust me i do not trust you either...so as soon as i recieve the merchandise i will proceed with the refund..
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 26 Apr 2002, 9:16am	Why would you not trust me? I did paid you on time, I replied my e-mails promptly, I followed all the rules. It is you who broke the rules by selling a fake bag which I think you would have knew. My money back should all come up to the total of US$129+8+10.95+15 which includes the original price of the bag, shipping which I paid and the return shipping from me to you. I will not send the item unless I receive my money back as the bag is the proof of my purchase. If you still would not agree to this I will notify ebay and credit card centre after 24 hours of this email, therefore it is up to you whether you want me to make a big deal of this. This situation will be treated as a fraud. Also to remind you that I will also notify all the buyers which have brought bags from you and warn them I have brought a fake bag and describe the defects of the bag to them and let them truly examine their bags to see if they have the same defects also, then lets see whether you are a trustworthy buyer or not!
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 27 Apr 2002, 1:58am	why are you making a big deal out of this? i really do not know why the bag is like that. all the bags i got are authentic. i am so sorry that all this is happening , so please just trust me on this one and send me the bag so i can get a refund with my seller and complet the refund with you
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 27 Apr 2002, 11:56am	I am trying not to make a big deal... but you made me do so. I can't be sure all the bags you have are authentic. As my one surely was not. Just sent me the money thru PayPal and as I was sure I can get my money back I sent u back the bag... You have the money I gave you when I bought the bag so dun give me that you dun have the money as an excuse. You dun need to get the refund from your seller first. JUST GIVE MY MONEY BACK!!!!!! I am warning you, this is my last e-mail. I will not tolerate with you any longer. I will not trust you. All the buyers of your items will be notify of this incidence. All e-mails between us will be sent to all buyers, eBay and credit card centre. I just want my money back before I sent you back the bag, this can prove you can be trustworthy. I need the bag as the proof of my purchase. I will not release it unless I can see I can get my money back.
	<3 days after this page is up and running, he replied...>
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 2 May 2002, 2:55am	i can not believe what you are doing to me. this issue was between you and me. why are you sending e-mails to all my costumers. it is not my fault that my provider sent me a fake bag mixed with the others. i got ripped off too. but there is no reason for you to do that. i will send you a money order for the full amount that you paid + the shipping, but i want you to send me the bag as soon as you recieve the money. i tought that you were serious and that we could fix this problem without taking those actions. i pay all my bills with the comission that i make on ebay selling bags, i do not think is fear for you to do that and break my businness like that. i would really apreciate if you stop doing that. thank you
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 2 May 2002, 6:23pm	I want you to pay me thru PayPal. And then I will send you back your bag as soon as I receive the payment. I have sent you a PayPal bill; please pay promptly within 48 hours.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 3 May 2002, 2:32am	i do not have any funds on my paypal account , that is why i am sending you a money order
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 3 May 2002, 9:14pm	I do not want a money order. I cannot receive any money order. Therefore even you sent it to me it is no use. Therefore you should put funds into your PayPal, I don't care how. I only wanted to be paid by PayPal.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 4 May 2002, 1:26am	o.k i will put funds in my account. i will just ask you for a big favor..have a little patience while i do the transfer please. thank you
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 7 May 2002, 8:43pm	I have yet to receive your payment from PayPal. Please make the payment within the next 24 hours, otherwise I reserve my right to take legal actions against you. I has been patient with you, but it has ran out. I strongly urge to you settle this whole matter as soon as possible. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 8 May 2002, 1:35am	i asked you nicely if you wanted me to send you a money order and you said no. so i have to wait until somebody else pays me via paypal so i can send you the money. please be a little moer patient. tyank you
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 9 May 2002, 9:33pm	Regarding you've asked me to wait til someone pay you through PayPal, it has been a few days since that. I've looked up your listings in eBay. In the past 14 days, there are 9 auctions ended and the total of all the bids are over $1500. You should have NO problem paying me back but there is still no funds coming through. Many of your buyer is now aware of the situation and I am considering to scale up my action against you. You now have 24 hours to RESPOND and PAY. I am considering to send the whole matter to all your current bidder, auction winners and several official bodies.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 10 May 2002, 2:06am	listen. i already told you that there is no meaning for you to keep contacting my buyers to tell them bad things about me. and from those 9 auct5ions that you saw 6 mof them did not wanted to pay thanks to you!!! so i am almost done with my funds and please do not bother my costumers anymore
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 11 May 2002, 12:34pm	Oh really.... I have not yet contacted your current buyers. So it has nothing to do with me that they did not buy from you... you are such a liar... I have the feeling that you are not going to give my money back... then fine... I will contact your current buyers to stop them from buying from you... I do not want to see people getting into the same situation as I did. I will choose to tell everyone on eBay about you. You made me do this. I have got tired of waiting for my money. My situation will be regarded as fraud. I hope you know what you are doing is illegal; it is called internet crimes.....!!!
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 14 May 2002, 1:37am	listen lady, i told you i was goign to send out your money, but you do not have to contact all my buyers and tell them anything. i promess you that by wednesday or the latest thursday you will have your money. ps: stop contacting my buyers, this is between you and me. ohhhh by the way... i just contacted ebay and let them know waht you were doing with my costumers and you know that they can freeze your account because you are not supposed to do that.
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 14 May 2002, 5:00pm	Now you listen pal! I have not let eBay know you are selling FAKE bags to me. With so many other customers having the same "non-authentic merchandise" cases, let's see who will get the account freeze by eBay first. If you want interference from eBay, you go ahead and ask them to talk to me! But I can tell you this, eBay will not help you. Because you are selling counterfeit (i.e. non-authentic, fake) items! You don't believe me? Go here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/png-items.html If you say the money is ready by Wednesday or Thursday the latest, it better be true.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 15 May 2002, 1:52am	o.k. you know what?!!! i am tired of this situation already, i will send you the money and you stop bothering me.but, you need to stop e-mailing my costumers... that is not nice from you, o.k?
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 15 May 2002, 8:23pm	Then pay me by Wednesday, else drastic actions are to be expected. I don't like to use nice words to talk to people like you.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 16 May 2002, 1:28am	i will send you the money and you better send me the bag back because i know the rules and how to use ebay too. plus, the shippings that you are charging me are to expensive, i checked on usps and the shippings are not those. i will pay you according to the shipping cost by usps. so, as i am sending you the money i expect you to send me the bag.
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 16 May 2002, 9:04am	What do you mean the shipping is too expensive??? I only charge you US$15 dollars, what was left was the amount I paid you!!! That includes the shipping from you to me and the cost of the bag. You charge me US$18.95 to ship to me... so you must be saying that you charged me too much to send the item to me also. Btw, you should not have checked the shipping cost on USPS... because I am shipping from NEW ZEALAND... please use your head, check a New Zealand website. NOW, I expect a payment of US$129.00(cost of the bag) + US$18.95(shipping cost I give you before) + US$15.00(shipping cost for me to sent the bag back to you) do not give me the excuse of me charging too much, I'm a fair person, I do not ripe people off. Together I expect a payment of US$162.95. Btw, if you have said you knew the rules in eBay, you would not have sold fake bags, it's illegal you know.
	The refund payment was expected to be sent on the 16 May. Never happened. 3 days later....
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 19 May 2002, 8:15pm	When are you going to sent me the money ?????.... you said last Wednesday or Thursday you will sent the money, now is Sunday already. Are you trying to back out on this?
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 29 May 2002, 2:55am	WHERE IS MY GUCCI BAG. I ALREADY GAVE YOU REFUND AND I AM WAITING FOR MY BAG. IT SHOULD NOT TAKE THAT LONG. I WANT MY BAG HERE IN MIAMI BY FRIDAY
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 30 May 2002, 10:40pm	I already sent it out by airmail on Monday. And please be more polite. I only received the money on FRIDAY in New Zealand time. So it is fair for me to sent the parcel on Monday.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 4 Jun 2002, 2:13am	where is my gucci bag? i told you i was going to wait until friday, but i have not recieve my bag yet. it has been more than a week since i frefund your money. shipping does not take that long, when i refund you the money i paid for usps global priority mail so i can had the bag back in miami asap, but looks like you have not shipped it out yet. iif i do not recieve the bag here by wednesday i will contact ebay and let them know about this + fill out a fraud form on paypal so can have my money back asap
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 4 Jun 2002, 9:03pm	I sent it out already. I even have a receipt for it. I dun care if you go to eBay or not because you have sold ILLEGAL stuff online, btw, I can call the police to arrest you if want. Contact eBay too if you want, I want everyone to know you are selling fake bags. Also, we do not use USPS in New Zealand, we have a company called New Zealand Post, check that!
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 5 Jun 2002, 1:40am	ohhh, by the way, one more thing, you need to stop contacting my costumers and telling them lies o.k? please sdtop that...that is not nice, i told you already
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 5 Jun 2002, 4:22pm	What lies???..... You really want me to take it to the police don't you???... I really would like to see people like you go behind the bars for illegal trading. Do not talk to me in that tone of voice by the way.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 6 Jun 2002, 1:41am	can i please have the tracking number for the shippment?
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 6 Jun 2002, 10:55pm	Item identifier: PP132461871NZ
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 8 Jun 2002, 4:17am	listen!!!!! how many times do i have to tell you to please stop e-mailing my costumers and telling them that my items are fake. i already warned you and i am not playing games anymore, i am already tired of this. i was talking to ebay's costumer support and let them know about what you were doing and they told me that what you were doing was illegal and that they could freeze your account permanently. and by the way i have not recieve my bag yet. i will wait until monday if i have not recieve my bag by monday i will start acting too. remeber that you are not the only one that knows how to act against somebody.
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 8 Jun 2002, 12:53pm	I have already sent out the bag, I dun know why you still have not received it. I want the eBay officials to talk to me. If they are going to deal with this case, I am happy to cooperate. Do not warn me, you dun have to; I am not the one selling fake bags. I have proof that I already sent the bag.
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 11 Jun 2002, 8:43pm	I just got sent back the bag with the message “return to sender”??? I used the return address on the parcel you sent to me. Was the address valid???... I wrote... Santiago Montoya 714 NW 111th pl Apt#8 Miami fl, 33172 USA
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 14 Jun 2002, 1:39am	i am still waiting for your answer. where is my bag and why did you send it to that address after i told you 2 times not to do it?
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 14 Jun 2002, 3:35pm	Look, you have not told me not to send it to that address, what proof do you have of that? Stop lying all the time!!!!!! I will send to the address you gave me last time.
From Designer2002 to ME Dated: 15 Jun 2002, 1:35am	i tought you sent it already, you are the one who is lying!!! please send it asap.
From ME to Designer2002 Dated: 15 Jun 2002, 10:40pm	Why are you doing this??... Is there something wrong with you???... Why do you do this to people??... I have not lied once in any of my emails to you... You will be sorry for what you have done to other people.