You've probably heard the old adage that if something's too good to be true it probably is. Well if you're like me, you probably do your research before making a purchase-- you know, being an informed consumer and all-- and like me, you've probably come across some unbelievable deals. Because it comes naturally to me, I always am a bit skeptical when I see a deal that's "too good". I know that if something sells for $420 retail price that the company or person that offers it for 80% less is most likely full of it.
However, there are some people who might turn their logic off for a brief moment and purchase the item in the hopes that it's legit.
This kind of stuff happens all the time in the fragrance world, and most often the fake products are disguised as some of the most luxurious types of colognes, most notably are fake bottles of Creed products. Creed sells some of the most popular, and costly, fragrances for men. In fact, my only experience with a scammer was when I purchased a bottle of Creed Imperial Milesome for $20. I knew it was going to be fake, yet I was hoping that it was still going to be a decent knock-off. Unfortunately, despite the convincing bottle design, the fragrance itself was more like air freshener; that is, it didn't last more than a minute.
While I wouldn't consider my experience to be an example of being scammed, I have heard nightmarish stories from people who have. Most of the time, people who get ripped-off, by either receiving a fake product, getting the wrong product, or getting nothing at all, deal with third-party vendors. This includes on websites like Amazon, Ebay or Craigslist, and by random people met on community pages like Facebook or Twitter.
My best advice is simply not to buy from third-party vendors. Sure, there are some reputable people out there who sell legit fragrances for a cheaper price, but personally, I would rather err on the side of caution and pay retail price for a bottle that I know is genuine than take a chance buying something that could be a knock-off.
But if you insist on buying from a third-party source, here are a few tips to consider before you buy:
I. Make sure you read customer reviews if you're dealing with someone on a site like Amazon or ask other people in your online community if you're dealing with someone on a social media page. I would say, read the first ten reviews or reach out to four different people and listen to what they're saying. If most customers tell you not to buy, don't take a chance.
II. Reach out to the seller through email or private message. Ask a few innocuous questions about the product and see how they respond. Do their answers seem accurate or are they telling you information you know to be incorrect? If it's the latter, I would avoid them.
III. Really ask yourself: is this deal to good to be true? If you come to the conclusion that it is, trust your intuition and buy from a reputable vendor
Trust me, I know that there are a lot of really nice colognes that sell for an exorbitant price, so if someone offered me such a bottle for a fraction of the price, I get how tempting that could be, but ultimately, we need to call these people out for what they are. Criminals.
Scamming one person for $100 may not seem like much, but consider that if they scam you, they're probably scamming others. To avoid this, I would say just don't get involved with anyone other than already established companies who are authorized to sell the fragrance. But if you do come across a scammer, don't be afraid to call them out for what they are. Your friends and fellow consumers will thank you!
-Ryan S.
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