Yikes: 25% Percent of Facebook Ads For Luxury Goods Are For Fakes
November 14th, 2014
By Leah Bourne
If you’ve ever come across a bag with a price that seems too good to be true via a Facebook ad—say a Hermès Birkin for $250—well, we’re here to tell you what you probably already know: It really is too good to be true.
Bloomberg is reporting on new research by two Italian cyber-security experts, who found that about a quarter of the fashion and luxury ads on Facebook are actually touting knockoffs. The findings are based on a review of more than a thousand ads, including 180 in the luxury and fashion space. Of that 180, 43 turned out to be pointing to counterfeit goods.
What’s particularly troubling about the findings is that many of the websites selling these counterfeit goods look very convincing. For instance, the researchers singled out a website selling Ray-Bans that included the brand name in its Web address, very similar logos to those on Ray-Ban.com, and information about nonexistent warranties.
The bottom line here is, don’t be fooled by a good deal, and do your research before hitting the buy button.
Source: http://stylecaster.com/facebook-ads-counterfeit-goods/#ixzz3JMaJd7Xn
Bloomberg is reporting on new research by two Italian cyber-security experts, who found that about a quarter of the fashion and luxury ads on Facebook are actually touting knockoffs. The findings are based on a review of more than a thousand ads, including 180 in the luxury and fashion space. Of that 180, 43 turned out to be pointing to counterfeit goods.
What’s particularly troubling about the findings is that many of the websites selling these counterfeit goods look very convincing. For instance, the researchers singled out a website selling Ray-Bans that included the brand name in its Web address, very similar logos to those on Ray-Ban.com, and information about nonexistent warranties.
The bottom line here is, don’t be fooled by a good deal, and do your research before hitting the buy button.
Source: http://stylecaster.com/facebook-ads-counterfeit-goods/#ixzz3JMaJd7Xn