Welcome to the 372nd Metamorphosis Monday!
Back in early February, I decided to add an iconic piece to my winter wardrobe, something I’ve been wanting for many years: a Burberry scarf in the classic heritage check. Since Burberry was still offering the free monogramming they had offered during the Christmas holidays, I decided to go ahead and have them monogram it.
After I placed my order, just for fun I decided to see if there were any Burberry scarves on eBay. Do you ever do that, purchase something online and then out of curiosity check eBay to see if the item is also available there?
When I visited eBay, I was surprised to see a “Buy Now” auction for a “New” Burberry scarf that looked identical to the one I had just purchased, only for much less. The seller had excellent feedback after many transactions and accepted returns if an item was returned within 14 days. Since the scarf was such a good deal, I decided to order it to give as a gift next Christmas.
I wasn’t worried about purchasing it on eBay because I paid via PayPal, and I knew eBay would stand behind the purchase with their “eBay Money Back Guarantee.” I’ve been shopping on eBay for many years and so far I’ve never been left with defective merchandise. So between the seller’s excellent feedback and return policy, and eBay’s Money Back Guarantee, I decided to order it.
A few hours after buying it, I received the following email from eBay. Umm, this was new and different. I’ve never gotten an email like this from eBay. I didn’t know that it was even possible for a bad guy to take over someone else’s eBay account. If you have ever sold anything on eBay, make sure you have a really strong password!
Since I always pay immediately when purchasing something on eBay, I called my credit card company to make them aware of the situation. They told me that chances were the charge would never be submitted since it usually takes 24-48 hours for eBay purchases to be submitted for payment.
I didn’t think anything else about it and decided to just wait until I received my statement to verify I hadn’t been charged, or if I had, it had been credited back. The following Monday my scarf arrived from Burberry.
It completely lived up to all the wonderful things I’ve always heard about Burberry scarves. Words can’t adequately describe how soft it is. I’ve had cashmere sweaters before and even cashmere scarves, but none have ever compared to the softness of this scarf.
I can see how Burberry scarves become heirloom pieces that get passed down to a son or daughter. I’m hoping when I’m gone one day, my son or dil will enjoy this scarf and that maybe the monogram will make it even more special to them, although I may have bought one for them by then.
So here’s where it gets really interesting. The exact same day my scarf arrived from Burberry, this scarf below arrived in the mail. What??? This was apparently the scarf I had purchased on eBay via what had turned out to be a hacked eBay account. I hadn’t expected to receive anything at all. I immediately called eBay and they assured me I had been credited for the scarf.
They emailed me a prepaid return label and asked that I mail the scarf to the address on the label. I printed out the label and was surprised to see they were having me return it to an actual person in Tennessee. Umm, I figured they would have me return it to some address where eBay collects fraudulent merchandise. So, I slapped the prepaid label on the package, took it to the post office and sent it on its way. And that was that–or was it?
About two weeks later that same package appeared back in my mailbox with this label on it. Weird, huh? I wondered why eBay sent me a label with an address that apparently wasn’t valid. I could tell someone had torn open the package, but whoever opened it didn’t keep the scarf. Like a bad penny, it was back again!
After some thought, I’ve decided I’m going to call Burberry and ask them if they would like it. I don’t want to donate it for fear it will end up back on eBay again. I thought Burberry would enjoy having it to see what the fraudsters are up to these days. But before I contact Burberry, I thought I’d let you take a look at how the two scarves differ in case you run into a similar situation. Before we get started, I want to state one thing very clearly: If I didn’t have a real Burberry scarf for comparison, I doubt I would have thought the second one I ordered on eBay was not the real thing. It definitely feels like cashmere, though not as soft as the scarf from Burberry.
This first picture of the two scarves laying side-by-side, best shows the most notable difference between the real Burberry scarf and the one that’s not a Burberry. Notice anything? You can’t miss the blurriness of the black stripe running through the scarf that isn’t real. That’s not dye that has bled downward on the scarf, it’s the fuzz of the cashmere hanging downward that causes it to have that blurred effect.
It’s not just the black design of the scarf that appears blurry or fuzzy, the red stripe has the same issue.
Here’s another good example showing the difference in the red stripe on the fake scarf vs the real Burberry scarf. Also, notice how there’s very little color difference between the different sections of the scarf on the left, where you have a lot more color variation in the real scarf.
In this photo, you can compare the fringe of the two scarves. There’s not a huge difference other than there seems to be more fraying or tearing along the edge where the fringe starts on the non-Burberry scarf. Do you see it? It’s as if they frayed up further than they should have on, so it looks less finished and more fragile/torn along the edge.
I tried to get a close up so you could see the difference in the weave. Notice how the cashmere fabric of the real Burberry scarf looks more plush and bit fuzzier. The fake Burberry scarf does feel very soft, but not quite as soft as the real scarf on the right.
If I had my eyes closed and someone placed one of my hands on each scarf, I could easily tell you which one was the real Burberry scarf. You don’t have to be looking at the scarves to tell, you can tell purely by feel. But again, if I didn’t have a real scarf to compare the fake one against, I would never have known this one was a fake because it’s super soft and does feel like cashmere.
If I had to choose which scarf was real based on the tags that came on the scarves, I would have chosen wrong. The fake scarf had a more impressive looking tag than the real scarf did.
The tag on the fake scarf is even held onto the scarf with an authentic looking Burberry hanging string. The one on the top that is still attached to the scarf is fake and the one on the bottom is from the real scarf. One difference: I did notice that the “Burberry” letters on the fake hanging string have a slight purplish tint to them.
Here’s another tell-tale sign that gives away the fake Burberry scarf. The sewn-on Burberry tag looks pretty normal. In fact, I’ve seen quite a few older Burberry scarves on eBay with these skinny little Burberry tags.
But when you turn the scarf over, this is what you find on the other side, a sloppily sewn mess. The thread where the tag is sewn is very obvious, and it doesn’t even look like they used matching thread to try to hide it.
Here’s how the tag looks on the real Burberry scarf. Again, the fact that the tag is larger and looks different doesn’t bother me since I know Burberry has used different size tags on their scarves over the years.
But when you turn the scarf over and compare how nicely the tag is sewn on the real Burberry scarf to how the sewing looks on the fake scarf, it’s obvious which is the real scarf. Burberry would never use thread that didn’t blend in, and would never leave a loose thread sticking out like we saw on the fake scarf.
If I had not first ordered this scarf from Burberry, I’m not sure I would have been able to tell the eBay scarf was a fake when it arrived. I’d like to think I would have noticed the terrible blurring of the lines and the poorly stitched label, but the fake scarf is so soft, it may have lulled me into thinking it was the real thing.
Professionals state that the only way to ever know that you have a real “anything” is to purchase it from the company itself or an authorized boutique. When buying on eBay, you could ask the seller for a receipt as proof the scarf is real, but these days the bad guys probably know how to fake those, too.
I love this scarf and I’m glad I finally splurged and bought one. I wore it a few times in February before our weather turned warmer and it kept my neck toasty warm. I’m looking forward to wearing it for many years to come. If you would like one for yourself, you’ll find them here: Burberry Cashmere Scarf in Heritage Check. If you order one, don’t forget to take advantage of the complimentary monogramming since it appears they are still offering it.
I hope you found this comparison helpful. Will this stop me from purchasing on eBay? No, because you can still find some amazing deals on eBay, and as long as eBay continues to offer their money-back guarantee and you pay with a credit card via Paypal, I think it can be a good deal. I especially love eBay for finding items that are no longer available in stores or have been discontinued. It has come in handy many times for that. There are so many great sellers on eBay, and they definitely outnumber the bad ones.
To see how a Burberry scarf is made from start to finish, check out this 2-minute video: Making of a Burberry Scarf Loved the details in the video showing how the wool is washed in Scottish waters, the scarf is brushed with natural teasels, and the hand-finishing process that takes place at the end. It helps to understand the cost when you watch that video. Really makes each scarf feel like a work of art.
Update: There’s been a tremendous amount in the news lately about the increase in counterfeit goods. Here’s a great article from Harpers Bazaar that explains the real dangers of buying knockoff or fake products: The Fight Against Fakes.
This article from share.america.gov is also excellent: What’s Wrong With Buying Counterfeit Goods? Way More Than You Think.
Looking forward to all the wonderful Before and Afters for this Metamorphosis Monday!
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Hugs,
Deb
Hi Susan – As a new-ish eBayer who tries to follow all of the rules, this is great info – I shared it with my eBay FB group! Hugs, Holly
Thanks, Holly! BTW, I love your name…Holly is such a pretty name. One of my best friends growing up was named, Holly. 🙂
Hmmm. Well, that was an interesting tale. It’s funny, I often wonder how people can tell a knock off from the real thing. I guess the differences really are that subtle…neat that you had a real one on hand for comparison!! Thanks for sharing.
I know, I thought it was so ironic that they both arrived on the same day. Not sure I would have known it was fake without the real one to compare it to.
What an amazing post Susan – we’re fabric agents who sell to designers and manufacturers in North America and one of the mills we deal with is strictly Cashmere so I know all about knock offs.
The sad thing is a lot of these large fashion houses are going to the SAME factories in China where these knockoffs are also being produced – so sometimes ( quite often actually ) the knock off is the same quality as the actual designer piece. ( and of course there are those that are inferior too ) I’m not going to name names here obviously but there are huge designers completely blindsiding the public. The fashion industry has become such a sad state of affairs.
Having said all that – Burberry’s mill is in Scotland so the quality is far superior – I have a Burberry scarf ( and had a short raincoat for over 15 years ) even their sunglasses are amazing.
Thanks so much for another great party – and a great post as well 🙂
That’s awful that they are doing that. It’s so dumb of them to take chances like that with their brand! I watch a lot of YouTube videos online about fashion because I just love learning about it, even if it’s a brand or product that I’m not interested in buying for myself. In the last couple of months, I’ve noticed all the YouTube folks who love and buy Louis Vuitton have started complaining that the quality has slipped. There are several videos on YouTube where they are comparing their old LV pieces to newer pieces they’ve bought and they are not happy. Many are saying they will not be buying anymore LV until the quality improves.
That’s so good to know about Burberry. I bought a purse from them around the same time I bought the scarf. When it arrived I was relieved to see that it was made in Italy.
You are so right about the fashion industry. If their fans recognize the decrease in quality and quit buying their merchandise, maybe they will make changes.
This was fascinating, Susan! How great that they both arrived the same day.
That is a crazy story Susan, I’m so glad you didn’t get scammed! I had an issue last year with some Michael Kors purses, I bought them “on sale” from a hacked knock off web site. It looked exactly like the real MK site, but when I checked back after a few days because I never got a confirmation email, I could tell something was off. Long story short, I did receive the merchandise 2 months later, and it was the cheapest junk, I couldn’t believe it. It was mailed from Singapore, no return information. Luckily I had contacted my credit card company soon after purchase and they credited my account. It was a very creepy and scary experience. Since then I am VERY careful with online purchasing. Thanks for the info and party today!
Thanks, Jenna! Oh, I almost fell for one of those sites one time. I was trying to find a “bird” shirt by Barbour and after googling I found it listed on a store site that looked completely legitimate. What made me wonder though is whenever I visited the site, my Malwarebytes program would warn me I was visiting a bad site. If you don’t have Malwarebytes on your computer, you may want to add it. They have a free version and a paid version. I used the free version for several years, then finally bought the paid version.
Anyway, the other clue I had that the site was probably a nefarious site was that they showed they had the shirt available in all sizes, small, medium and large. That didn’t make sense since the shirt hadn’t been being made for a couple of years, so how could they still have it available in all sizes when no one else had it at all.
I googled about the site and found a lot of folks warning to stay away. So, yeah..the scammers are good at creating fake websites and no telling what they will do with your credit card number once they have it! You may want to get a new card with a new number if you haven’t already, just to be safe. So sorry that happened to you. There’s no telling how many folks those type sites rip off every day.
These stories are really scary. I bought a known brand of handbag (that I’ve always liked) from our Shopping Channel (which has excellent customer service & return policy) but I find the quality is not the same as the brand used to be – rougher leather & a nasty smell. (I hoped it would fade but it hasn’t.). I know this is a horrifying subject to bring up – & I apologize – but ever since I saw the terrible, disgusting videos (I couldn’t watch them but knew the content!) of the China Dog Festival and read that they use dog skin for small leather goods, I often wonder about this smelly bag!! I recently looked for the tag that usually says “genuine cowhide leather” but it’s missing. Now I’m wondering what this bag is made of!! Maybe I’m over reacting & the production line missed sewing in the tag but my mind drifts to those terrible reports & videos. Now, I find I’m not enjoying this purchase at all yet I hate to toss it away due to the price. I should have looked for the tag right away but even then, how do you know what anything is made of anymore as there are so many unscrupulous sellers!
PS: Someone told me about the Birkin crocodile farms & that was truly shocking.
Elaine, I would contact them and tell them that you didn’t call sooner because you wanted to give it some time to see if the smell went away…and it hasn’t. The worse thing that can happen is they say, no. I’m pretty sure that all products have to have a tag or label stating where and from what they are made. The fact your bag doesn’t have that may be enough for you to demand they let you return it. I’ve been watching some of the reviews lately on YouTube about various handbags and that was the first time I had ever heard of a Birkin bag.
Thanks, Susan. I will do that. I hope you didn’t mind me going slightly off-subject a bit when I mentioned Birkin crocodile bags. I’m not fond of crocodiles but after seeing a video a friend sent, it certainly makes one pause and think about “skins”. The poor creature in the video looked to me (I hope I’m wrong) as if it was still moving at the start of the “process”. Enough said!! 🙁
Love the scarf but wow who would have known just how far these vendors of fake products will go? I wear Bubberry Brit perfume and have always wanted one of their purses but I gasp at the prices. It’s tempting to go on Ebay and look for such things but how disappointing to know there are so many people out there ready to rip you off. Thank you for the informative post!
I know. Sometimes you can luck out on eBay but I guess there’s no way for eBay to check every listing to see if it’s for real. Fortunately the feedback system helps, unless of course the account gets hacked! Best to save up and buy the real thing for peace of mind.
I always enjoy when you share your experiences. Thank you for the detailed comparison. What was the difference in price between the real and fake?
Thanks, Dawn! The real one was $475, the one on eBay was $118.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
What more can I say!
Thanks, Eileen! 🙂
Susan, thank you so much for sharing this! I recently purchased a couple of purses from EBay, and was nervous that they could be “knock offs”. I even googled how to tell the difference. I am happy with my purses, but it is good information for future purchases!
Thanks, Kathy! You probably already know about The Purse Forum. I just discovered that site about a year ago and I’ve noticed the members help each other out with authenticating bags…as much as they can. So glad you’re purse worked out! 🙂
What a great article. I have one from the boutique and one from eBay years ago. I noticed so many New With Tags scarves around Christmas time. Too good to be true. Mine is vintage and I got it from a dealing in England. I cannot people are hacking into accounts to sell counterfeit goods.
These are iconic pieces and treasured. Our winter was so warm this year mine hardly got used. I’d love a lighter weight one for spring and fall.
I bet yours looks fabulous with the jacket that you got last year.
Exactly! I know some of the eBayers live near outlets and they probably buy products there, but when there are that many “new” ones for sale, it makes you very suspicious.
Oh, sounds like you found a treasure! I love vintage Burberry!
It does go great with that jacket and also with a red Orvis coat I purchased on eBay a while back.
Thanks, Katie!
What an amazing story, Susan. It’s horrible that we can’t trust anyone. How funny that the fake scarf keeps getting returned to you. I’m glad you got it all worked out, and your real Burberry is beautiful. You’ll probably laugh about this story every time you use yours. Thanks for hosting.
lol I know! Crazy! Thanks, Laurie!
Woah! Who knew you could hack ebay sellers! So glad you caught it, Susan!
Thanks, Debbie! Yup, the scammers are very creative apparently! Kind of makes me wonder if it was someone they knew. Seems like they had to know the eBayer they hacked would notice! Maybe they look for accounts where there hasn’t been any selling activity for a while so they figure the eBay seller won’t notice right away.
What a GREAT post! A question…..was the length of the two scarves the same? Sometimes inferior products scrimp on sizing as well. Thanks again for you helpful info susan.
I hadn’t checked that so I just took a look. Yup, they are the exact same length. Thanks, Karen!
Great story, Susan, and educational too. I hope you will tell us “the rest of the story” after you contact Burberry about your counterfeit scarf.
Will do, thanks, Nancy!
Nancy, I just called them and they said they appreciated the offer but they couldn’t use it. They recommended destroying it, so that’s what I’ll do.
Destroyed? I know you can’t just remove labels and donate it, or someone else could just replace the labels and then back to the original problem. But could you use it for a fall table runner, or tree skirt or something?
Mia, I finally ended up mailing it to the New York location of Burberry with a note explaining it was purchased on eBay and was probably a fake. I just kept thinking that it would be helpful for them to see what’s being sold on eBay.
Wow… what a crazy Ebay experience!
Thanks for hosting today.
This was an excellent and informative post Susan. Over 13 years ago I ordered quite an expensive watch on ebay and when I went to a jeweler who specialized in the brand to have the band adjusted I was told it was a fake. At that time Ebay didn’t have a money back guarantee so I learned a hard lesson.
So sorry that happened to you, Laura. I’m glad eBay does offer that now.
Wow Susan! That is a crazy story about your scarf, glad you figured it out so quick! Thanks for another great party. Have a good week and take care, Tara
Thanks, Tara!
I have definitely had a few experiences with fakes on ebay, but they have taken care of it pretty quickly. Yours is definitely a new one for me! Thanks for hosting, Susan:-)
Thanks, Anita!
So the fake
1. Was cheaper?
2. Looks/feels nearly identical?
Personally, I’d rather buy the fake one, if, that is, I were inclined to buy something that looked exactly like all the real one that looks exactly like every danged other one–which I’m not.
I’ve never been enticed by labels (no logos allowed on my clothes at all), particularly when they’re outrageously expensive and still probably made dirt cheaply in China. 😉
My advice? Wear the fake one and get a refund on the real one.
I couldn’t disagree with you more. First of all, it’s not about the label, it’s about the quality, the reputation and heritage of the brand. Plus, I would know it was fake, and that’s what matters most of all. If I can’t afford the real thing, I’d much rather save until I can. A quality piece will last you many years and bring tremendous pleasure each time you wear it. I would never be able to enjoy wearing a fake “anything” so whatever I spent for the fake item would have been a complete waste of money. As the expression goes, “I can’t afford to buy cheap.”
I don’t know about all Burberry Scarves, but this one is definitely made in Scotland, the label states that. I think all their scarves are made there based on this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro3Qe_hbrt8
I’m with you Susan! Especially because we usually work hard and tend to make lots of sacrifices, so we SHOULD treat ourselves well -at least once in a while!
I am totally with you Susan !! I have heard women behind my back saying maybe its fake?? But as long as I know its really, I dont let it bother me !
Because of so many fakes on ebay, I go straight to the company when I have saved to get the real !!
Paula
That’s really good advice, Paula…buying directly from the brand. That way you know you’ll not have any problems. One thing I like about buying from manufacturer is they always back their products if ever there’s a problem. That’s truly invaluable!
I’m with you Regality (aka The Quing).
If you want to buy without any problem go to original store and buy, enjoy your purses.
On internet (Ebay, Amazon, ect.) you can get on 3-5 time cheaper similar item with similar quality. So this not bad deal.
I am so glad you have the real thing!!!!
What a mess. I wonder how many have been duped. And what is up with that address?
Keep an eye on your credit card statements for some time to come.
Very informative and useful, Susan. A long time ago, I bought (what I thought was) a bronze dog on Ebay from a seller outside of the US. The object wasn’t bronze, but it was a dog, about 3″ tall and weighed no more than a French fry. Argh. Lesson learned.
Thanks, Michael! Hope all your real, non-bronze doggies are doing great! 🙂
Well, you certainly proved the point that it”s all in the details”. Many years ago I purchased on Ebay what I later realized was a fake Coach purse. Lesson learned- if it sounds to good to be true… Since then I have been very wary of designer goods on Ebay. But I also have an amazing experience to share. Three years ago, my daughter and I were in Paris. My daughter, then 19 years old, was approached by an Asian woman who asked her to go into the LV shop to purchase a certain purse for her and handed her an envelope with $1500 euros!!!! She claimed the manager was prejudiced and wouldn’t sell to Asians! If I hadn’t been there, my young daughter probably would have “helped her out”. As it was, I was nervous that anyone would hand so much cash to a teenager and assumed the cash was counterfeit. I worriedly told the woman we were too busy to do this and we walked away. Later we came back and went into LV and told them about the lady with the money. The clerk and manager told us that this was a common tactic of label counterfeiters. They purchase, in cash, a new purse release so that they can take it back to their factory and use it to model their fakes! The money was real, but their intentions were very illegal. The manager then presented to my daughter a scarf to replace the touristy ‘Paris’ scarf she was wearing, along with his thanks!! It is now my daughter’s prized possession and it obviously comes with an amazing story. Plus she knows it is real!
What a fascinating story, Patricia…you guys were so smart to not fall for that story she was telling you. That was so nice of the manager to do that, what a lovely memory and I know your daughter will never forget it! Thanks for sharing that, it makes me want to go to Paris and shop in that store!
loved this post! i’m a big fan of burberry. their price tags not so much. i’m lucky enough to have inherited my moms trench & a couple of other items. but i am also the proud owner of one of those fake scarves. i got it from a friend who always mentions she has great quality stuff & after reading your post i have to agree. i was fully aware i was purchasing a ko when i got it (the price alone gave it away) but it felt & looked totally acceptable. my scarf has none of the blurring/bleeding. the beige is the same tone as the real & it has the off set to the lighter, thinner beige stripe & the fringe is not fraying. so now i feel even better about my fake. lol. your scarf is lovely & with the monogramming even more so. enjoy it for many, many years. thanks for a super fun & informative post. xo- maryjo
Thanks, Maryjo! I’m glad this was helpful! 🙂
Maryjo, there are some issues that you may not be aware of regarding buying a fake or a knockoff. Here are some great articles to check out:
http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a359/the-fight-against-fakes-0109/
https://share.america.gov/whats-wrong-with-buying-counterfeit-goods/
http://money.allwomenstalk.com/reasons-you-shouldnt-buy-fake-products
Oops, bad link for that first article. Here’s the correct link: http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a359/the-fight-against-fakes-0109/
Did you ever find out why eBay sent you a mailing label to a wrong address? Just curious. This was educational information, not that I can afford a Burberry scarf, but affirms that “if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t”.
No, I didn’t call them to ask. I thought it was strange to start with, seems like they would have a place to send anything that could be fraudulent. I bet the person who hacked the account also changed the address for the seller to a fake one.
It must be very lucrative to be so dishonest. People really work hard at it. So glad you did not get scammed. Someone is watching out for you. 🙂
I guess so. Imagine if they put that much effort into making an honest living! Since eBay offers their money-back guarantee now, it’s a lot less risky than it was in the old days. I try to not buy from sellers who don’t allow returns, too. I’ve noticed the really top notch highest rated sellers all allow returns. Thanks, Madonna!
I found this post interesting and illuminating. Thanks for the education. Would like other comparisons too.
Thanks, Sheryl!
Really interesting post- so glad you shared it!
Wish you wouldn’t have identified the fake vs real so quickly to let us guess. But even without your help, I was already pointing out the blurred lines and color blocking.
If Burberry sends it back to you too- can I have it : D !?!
Catherine
ps- Susan, I just painted “Burberry” dresser- thought you might like to see it! https://freddyandpetunia.wordpress.com/2016/02/19/a-burberry-dresser/
lol That would have been good, to let you guess. 🙂 I’ll stop by and see your dresser. I love their heritage check pattern!
I find this post completely strange and yet fascinating. I am befuddled as to what happened with your transaction on eBay. So, correct me if I misunderstand this but, someone hacked got into the seller’s account to sell, and also hacked into their Paypal account to take the $, and the hacker is the one who sent the item?? And then you apparently got a message from a hacker (the same one) to send the item back to a bogus address?? This is SO weird on so many levels, above and beyond the authenticity of the scarf itself. It would be nice if Burberry could validate your distinctions (excellent, btw!).
I know acrylic can be super soft and feel like cashmere – that’s probably what it is. So glad it worked out for you. Love your scarf (the real one). hehe
I’m not sure about their Paypal account. Maybe when they hacked into their seller’s account, they were able to change the Paypal account it was connected to, to their own. Then apparently they used their sellers account that had such good feedback, to sell their fraudulent wares. That’s just a guess from the email I got from eBay. No, I didn’t get any messages from the hacker. The email I got was from eBay telling me they had canceled the transaction. I guess the original seller must have noticed he was locked out of his account of something…not sure. Maybe he got an email from someone asking about the scarves. Not sure how he found out he was hacked.
Oh, maybe you’re right…maybe it’s acrylic. Whatever it is, it is soft…but definitely not as soft as the real scarf.
lol Thanks, Rita! 🙂
Thank you so much for this detailed analysis of real vs fake!! I don’t know much about Burberry, but I do now. :0)
Black/gray market designer acessories are a worldwide problem. The economies of Italy and France in particular are impacted. Unfortunately, the fakes can be pretty darn good. When hubby and I first went to Italy in 2006, there were “genuine” (fake) handbag street vendors everywhere in Rome, Florence and Milan. They would set out their goods on a street corner for an hour, sell a few handbags to tourists, then quickly close up shop before the police came along. Some of the fake Gucci’s, Prada’s, Chanel’s etc., that I looked at close-up looked authentic, quality was actually pretty good.
But prosecuting the vendors was a waste of time, the Italian government could not stop the black market street trade at that time.
The Italian government finally changed their laws to clamp down on this problem. Now, they will prosecute the BUYER, usually an affluent (female LOL) tourist. In Italy now, you can literally be arrested and taken to jail for buying a fake Gucci bag!! When hubby and I went back to Italy in 2011, you could hardly spot a black market street vendor anywhere. The change in the laws worked for at least that part of the “fake” problem in Italy.
Wow Elena, that is fascinating! When I was in Italy, I didn’t see any one selling handbags anywhere so it must still be working. I don’t blame them one bit for doing that and I’m glad they did it. If that stuff continued long enough, those companies would go out of business entirely. Folks buying those fake bags HAD to have known they were buying counterfeit goods. I was doing some reading a few weeks ago about handbags and how the fakes have gotten so good, that the companies that make the real bags sometimes can’t tell they are fake without using a black light on them. The ones that are that really good are called, “Super Fakes.” I don’t think this scarf would quality as a super fake, it’s pretty obvious once you start looking at it that it’s not the real thing. Thanks for sharing that about the laws in Italy. Good for them for doing that!
Very informative and I’m glad you got the scarf of your dreams! Wow, it’s really expensive! I had no idea. Glad you were protected on ebay and educated us to boot!
Thanks, Sandi!
I didn’t read all the other comments … I wanted to ask you a question. How sure are you that the item cancelation letter came from ebay? It had a lot of links to click through and I think the wording sounded rather suspicious … so weird!
I know, it did sound suspicious but I could see in my dashboard at eBay that it has been canceled. Plus, when I called them, they verified everything. You have to be careful these days with the emails you get because they can look real when they’re not.
Hi Susan, what a great, detailed post. thanks for taking the time to share it. My hubby bought me one just like it several years ago at Neiman’s I think, somewhere at the Frontenac in St. Louis. I wear it non-stop during cold weather. It works with so many colors, and such a classic statement piece. I’m paranoid about taking it to the cleaners though, I don’t want to let it out of my sight!
Thanks, Debra! You are so right, it’s amazing how many things it goes with. It goes great with the two coats I wear the most during wintertime. Yeah, I don’t blame you. I never like the way things look when they are returned form the cleaners. I wonder if you can just wash it in Woolite or something like that. I’ll have to do some research when mine gets to the point that it needs it because I really don’t want to take it to the cleaners either.
First of all, thank you for the eye-opening article, Susan, and reading stories about these other women in Italy, etc. is equally startling. Debra, I don’t know if you’ve heard of an excellent product called “Eucalan”. It is safe for ALL delicate fibres as it is a combination of Eucalyptus and Lanolin. Just Google and you can read about it.
Thank you Susan, such an informative post. Be sure to check out Catherine’s dresser. I just did and boy, did she do a great job! Glad you are enjoying the “real thing”! 🙂
Great information Susan, thanks for sharing your experience. I agree with what you said about buying an item like this from the designer or an authorized boutique. Unfortunately, there are so many dishonest people waiting to take our money. Enjoy your beautiful scarf!
I got the email once. But I was never charged and I never received anything. It was long enough ago though, that I don’t remember the exact details.
What a detailed analysis!
A lot of lessons to be learnt not only in recognizing the real thing but also how to handle e-bay returns and why fakes are bad.
I bought a Burberry scarf at an estate sale once and would have sworn it was authentic, however it wasn’t. I am a Louis Vuitton girl myself but same rules apply when buying from ebay.
I got my Louis Vuitton scarf in New York City last summer. I was thrilled being on 5th Ave at Louis Vuitton store a lifelong dream of mine
Janice, I know what you mean…nothing can compare to actually purchasing that dream piece from the store itself and enjoying the full experience. 🙂 I’d love to shop on Bond Street in London one day, but not sure I could afford to buy very much after spending the money to get there! 😉
That was so informative, Susan. Thank you. I also appreciated the eye-opening article about why we shouldn’t want to buy counterfeit merchandise. I’d never given it much thought since I’ve never been one to care if I had a name brand item, but in reading how they force children in 3rd world countries to make the fake items is enough to cause me to never buy a counterfeit name brand anything. It’s good to be aware. Enjoy your scarf! Here in north Georgia, we may still have a day or two left to bundle up this year!
Thank you for taking the time to show out the difference these so we know what to look out for.
Hi! Thank you for this post! When did you buy this? Was it recent?
I bought my Burberry Scarf on gilt.com and the Burberry tag is in a gold text. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be gold, I’ve seen other posts where the authentic tag is in black text..
I purchased both the one from Burberry and the one on eBay around the end of February. I know the tags have changed over the years, but I’m not really sure what they’ve looked like each time. You may want to look around on eBay just to see if there are some with gold tags as a comparison. They may have used gold text at some point in the past…just not sure.
Interesting site. I’ve been amazed at the sites offering designer silk scarves. The Chinese copies allow you to choose what you want written on the tag. If you want them to say Made In France, then they will. You can send them an exact tag to copy. So I would not suggest that you believe your scarf is original bacause of what the tag says.
Susan, once again you have totally hit the nail on the head!! Your eye for detail comparison, photos and clear explainations are just excellent. After reading your post, I had to pull out my Burberry Scarf and look at it. I purchased my Burberry scarf at the Green Hills Mall in Nashville, TN so I don’t have to worry about having a knock-off, but was just curious to look at the details you pointed out to see all of the great comparison findings. My daughters also have Burberry Scarves that were purchased in Atlanta at the Lenox Mall. In saying that, at one point we did notice our Burberry tags were a bit different (even different from the one you have). Mine says BURBERRY across, then horizontally it says 100% CASHMERE MADE IN SCOTLAND (all block lettering but smaller). So if someone notices the labels are different it is because not all of the Burberry items are made at one location. So if you purchased it from E-bay, you could definitely get confused since there is just no concrete way to tell “from the label”, as they can be different. I LOVE how you clearly showed the clarity in the coloring of the black and red stripes and I did not realize the coloring of the beige background was a bit darker than a knock off. So that was great to learn. I will say that if anyone is thinking of purchasing a Burberry Scarf go for the longer one! I tossed that idea around in my head for a while and after seeing my daughters scarves, I just went for the longer one. At first I thought it would be a bit too long, but it is just perfect!! Also, a real Burberry comes in the most beautiful box!! I have never had the heart to throw them out as they are so wonderfully made, they make for storing nice items in my closet. I do shop on E-Bay and sell on that site as well. I will say there is nothing worse than spending all of that money on an item and getting scammed. One time before I became a super savy and picky shopper, I did get a “fake Northface shell” and did not know the difference. Now I do and decided to never buy anything expensive brand wise on E-Bay since it is too hard to really know the difference except for David Yurman. If you really know your David Yurman and want to feel comfortable purchasing one on E-Bay you can certainly get them for a great price. I had a few purchased from the David Yurman store in my town, but wanted to get other items through the years and just refused to pay their retail prices as it would be a waste of hard earned money. So I just really looked in their store and online site and started noticing all of the specific markings each authentic David Yurman had. There is a distinct DY logo and 925 number stamped on each item in the same place as what is shown in the store (depending on the item) shoppers should notice the clarity of the stone and their cable design is just a classic look that is easy to recognize when looking to purchase from E-Bay. Never purchase an expensive brand name from “China”…that is a definite red flag! So for me DY is the only thing I do feel comfortable purchasing on E-Bay. Lastly, if a shopper ever comes across a listing that is not authentic, they can e-mail E-Bay and let them know and I can assure you, E-Bay will pull that listing right off. If the seller does it too many times they get suspended from selling on E-Bay. PayPal and E-Bay are pretty good at doing what they can keep your purchase a happy one and they do try to keep the “fake’s” off their site, although it is never 100% fullproof. Thank you again!!! I do love looking at my scarf and (even though I know it is real), I still love seeing the clear details you pointed out. Maybe I can help someone in the future since you really taught me something. Have a great week!
So I have s Burberry scarf that was given to me years ago. To be honest I could care less if it’s real or not. However, I’m very curious to see if it is real. It’s older and I have stored it well. Can I send a picture so you can identify it?
Justin, I really wouldn’t feel comfortable trying to determine that for you. I’m just not qualified. The only reason I knew the one from eBay was fake is because eBay notified me that the sellers account had been hacked.
If you live near a Burberry store or an authorized seller (like Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, etc…) you may want to wear your scarf there and just compare it to the ones they have available for sale.
Hi Susan I’ve purchased a vintage Burberry scarf and I wanted to know if you could take a look at my label ? Tell me what you think.
Hi Terrance, unfortunately there’s really no way to tell from the label since the bad guys even fake those. Plus, Burberry has changed the label on their scarves many times over the years, both in the style and size.
This looks likes the scarves they have for sale at the Burberry outlet stores. I recall reading that outlets are for imperfect items or ones made specifically for the outlet shop at better affordable prices to the general public.
They go for a significantly cheaper price than the scarves sold at the actual Burberry shops as well.
The colour bleeding is very notable on the outlet scarves and the labeling looks like yours.
Looks like you may have received one of those sold at the outlet stores.
I doubt that scarf was even from the outlet because it was sold to me by some person who hacked another person’s eBay account. So, it was sold by a nefarious individual, not a good person. I would be so shocked to discover that Burberry would release anything substandard to their outlets because they are so discriminating. When I visited a Burberry outlet that’s about an hour from my home, I found the prices in there to be almost as high as those at the Burberry store online. Not much savings to be had.
Regality (aka The Quing) certainly has zero appreciation for the craft, the history, tradition, nor even the goats. It is almost as if the comment was planted in an attempt to incite.
There was a free scarf today at the exchange place. Tag – 100% Cashmere, Made in Scotland. Dry clean only. While certain that it is not genuine it is a perfectly usable scarf, so I brought it home. but there was a tiny feeling that I could be wrong. I was only drawn to it due to the attribution to Scotland, and the colors are pleasant. I love wool. If it is wool, it must have come from a hamster. At the free place, however, it is not unusual to find very high quality, expensive items.
So, I looked on the internet and saw that Amazon is selling scarves with this label for $9 plus change. There you are.
Hello, I´m from Brazil and I´d like to send you a picture of a Burberry Scarf to have your opinion it is real or fake. Is it possible? Thank you!
Gisele, I’m sorry, but I’m not an expert so I really couldn’t help you with that.
Thank you so much for this post. I just bought a Burberry scarf from Vestiaire and it just did not feel right so I googled how to spot a fake and read your article. After looking at the details it is obvious to be that the one I was sent is not authentic. I have contacted Vestiaire and am waiting to hear back from their “experts” who supposedly passed the item in their “quality check” – am not impressed! The back of the label was a dead giveaway as was the lack of colour variation and also the edges by the fringe. Many thanks!!!
I’m glad this post was helpful, Nisa. Hope you’re able to return it and get a refund.
Hello. I did not know how to post a new email. I received a package today with a Burberry scarf and an odd invoice of 6,180,00 HKD. I did not order anything for anyone. It was dated in Oct. of 2019. The quality seems good. The scarf is NOT evenly striped on each end. The color is good. No blurring. Clean red lines. It would have been simple for them to match the stripes at the end. Wonder why they did not? And, why do I have it? It has a CC number of 13 letters. No CC of mine has 13 letters. A mystery. I have no idea what to do with it.
Same thing happened to me just yesterday I received a package with same features you mentioned but mine was dated from December 12 2019!
Hi Susan,
Thank you so much for this post. I just had a question in regards to the fuzz of the checker pattern being “smeared”. I received mine from Burberry also with it being more smeared. I also noticed on their official website photos(example:https://us.burberry.com/the-classic-check-cashmere-scarf-p80181731) that the smearing is very apparent.
would this mean that even the real ones can have the “smear”?
I purchased a Burberry scarf in the pink and cream color from Neiman Marcus. When it arrived, it looked blurrier than I thought it should and I was afraid that someone had previously ordered it from Neiman Marcus and then swapped it was a fake and sent the fake back to Neiman Marcus and they hadn’t caught it. So I drove into Atlanta to the Burberry store which is next door to the Neiman Marcus and Lenox Mall and I compared it directly to the pink and cream check scarves in the Burberry store and they looked the same. So I guess some of their patterns are blurrier than others, but it still wasn’t as blurry as the one that I received from the eBay seller that was fake. I ended up returning that scarf to Neiman Marcus because it just didn’t look as nice and person has it had online. Hope this helps.
Hi. Thanks for sharing insightful information. Regarding your comment about fakes having fuzziness, any ideas why bloomingdales cashmere scarves, linked below, are all fuzzy? tia
https://www.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/burberry-classic-check-cashmere-scarf?ID=1783328
Even the real ones are a little fuzzy, just not as much as the fake one I was sent. If it’s from Bloomingdales, it should be fine.
hi what a good page and you show so clearly. Would you like to check out two scarves for me? I’m a little worried if it’s genuine, do not want to be fooled
I think I have a different version of a fake burburry. The weave is ok and it doesn’t “bleed” as in your pic BUT mine doesn’t have that fringe as per pics,mine has a fri be of pulled threads to make it a free cotton edge. Also the tag has beetroot as colour combo where it looks exactly like your camel check. So I’m still thinking mine is a fake considering I found out it came from China and I didn’t even order it. I ordered something else but got this. I eventually got my refund after 5 weeks
Glad you got a refund, Joh. Definitely sounds like a fake since they are not made in China.
Very useful information, as I was concerned my Burberry scarf I bought on Ebay was fake, I shall be returning it as it would seem so, Thanks Dan