BEWARE!!! COUNTERFEIT GUERLAIN FRAGRANCES

I hate to break it to you, but Guerlain is being counterfeited. These perfumes are being sold on various websites as "manufacturer's rejects" or "defective" perfumes, they are unboxed and "may have defects".

Also sold as:

• "sephora dubai"
• "Dubai AAA"
• "Gred AAA"
• "1-1 Copy" 
• "1:1"
• "1-1"
• "1:1 AAA"
• "1VS1"
• "Grade AAA"
• "AAA Quality"
• "Grade AA"
• "Grade AAA Replica"
• "Super AAA"
•  "Super A"
• "Super Gred"
• "5A Gred"
• "One Drop Perfume"
• "Original Reject Perfume"
• "Similarity: 95%-99% Same As Original"
• "90%LIKE ORIGINAL DUBAI GRED 5A"

Also some wholesaler's of COUNTERFEIT PERFUME TESTERS are describing their goods as follows:

"All perfume ingredients are imported from France. So quality will be much better than other suppliers'. And we put more fragrance capacity into every perfumes and freezing it for a long time, so smell can last for a long time. Normally it can keeps 1-2 days, even some Super AAA quality and 1-1 Copies can last more than 3 days."

This was also found on a counterfeiters site:

"1. What is Is 1VS1 fragrance ?                                              
The best quality copy fragrance!!!
2. What is 1VS1 fragrance?                                      
1VS1 fragrance, of good quality, is similar to the origin and smell 70% - 90% same."

 Here is more from other sites:

"Grade AAA Sephora Dubai | 99% Like Original
Not From China | Not From Indonesia
Odor Remained Up To 8 Hours
Perfume & Bottle - BEST QUALITY in Town"
"Grade AAA Sephora Dubai | 99% Bau Sama Seperti Original
Bukan Perfume China | Bukan Perfume Indonesia
Bau Mampu Bertahan Sehingga 8 Jam
Kualiti Bukan Seperti Di Pasar Malam"

Please note that these are all different ways of distinguishing fake perfumes!!!! These ARE NOT originals made by Guerlain. These are made in China, Malaysia and Indonesia. Unfortunately the listings may also say 100% original which adds to the confusion.

Guerlain counterfeit fragrances for men:

• L'Homme Ideal EDT 100ml
• Vetiver Extreme EDT 125ml 

Guerlain counterfeit fragrances for women:

• Champs Elysees EDP 50ml and 100ml
• Eau de Lingerie 100ml
• Idylle 50ml and 100ml
• Insolence EDP 50ml and 100ml
• L'Instant EDP 50ml, 80ml and 100ml
• La Petite Robe Noire EDP 100ml
• La Petite Robe Noire EDT 100ml
• La Petite Robe Noire 2012 EDP 100ml
• La Petite Robe Noire 2012 EDT 100ml
• La Petite Robe Noire Collector Edition 2013 EDP 100ml
• La Petite Robe Noire Collector Edition 2013 EDT 100ml
• La Petite Robe Noire Couture 100ml
• La Petite Robe Noire Eau Fraiche 100ml
• My Insolence EDT 100ml
• Samsara 100ml
• Shalimar EDP 75ml and 90 ml
• Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau EDT 100ml
• Perfume sample vials on card: La Petite Robe Noire
• Perfume Gift Sets for La Petite Robe Noire

These are images taken from different fake perfume supplier's websites:

SO YOU THINK YOU BOUGHT A FAKE PERFUME...NOW WHAT?

If you purchased a designer perfume on ebay, flea market or small time vendor, check your bottles against a genuine bottle that you already own or at a dept store or smaller store like Ulta or Sephora.

If you are unfamiliar with the designer perfume you are planning to purchase, go to a department store and examine it first. Check out the shape and color of the product before you order it off the Internet so you can compare it with the product you are thinking about buying.

Check the color of the perfume against a genuine bottle, if the perfume's color is wrong inside your bottle, it is probably a fake. Check to see if there is any floating debris, cloudiness or foreign matter inside the perfume. Also check to see if there is any separation of the contents.

Look at the glass of your bottle, if the glass has streaking, is wavy, has messy corners or any flaws or inconsistencies, it is most likely a fake. Designer perfume bottles are of the highest quality and have to pass quality control inspections at the factory. The bottle should not look cheaply or shoddily made and the glass should not look cloudy or have any air bubbles in any way.

Look at the box itself, watch for excess glue or adhesive tape. If there is a lot of tape or glue inside the perfume box or on the exterior of the packaging, the perfume is probably a fraud. If the perfume's box is made out of very thin material, the product is most likely a fake. Any high-end beauty manufacturer will use high quality paperboard when they're creating a carton for their product. Thin packaging signals a fake.

Carefully examine the cellophane wrap. On a well-made perfume, the cellophane is wrapped closely around the box. If the cellophane is messy or moving around the box, that's a sure sign the perfume's a fake. Most counterfeit products don't have the cellophane so tightly wrapped.

Check the printing on the underside of the box, if it is faded, globbed, or isn't what it should say, it is most likely a fake. If the box looks cheap, or print rubs off easily, made up of low grade flimsy cardboard, lettering too bold or thick, not raised or embossed print or if the words are spelled incorrectly, you probably have a fake. Read the print. Watch for an uneven brand name or any misspelling on the packaging. Check to make sure the font used is correct. Also check to see if your bottle has trademarks and serial numbers. The serial number on the box should match the number on the bottle. The serial numbers should be imprinted on the base of the box and not printed with ink.

Check the threads inside the cap (if any), if they don't screw onto the bottle correctly or don't fit, or is wobbly, it is probably a fake. Also be sure that the spray mechanism works properly.

Look at the small collar label around neck of bottle - is it off center, not fitted correctly

Cheaply printed: the logo letters look weird, too thick/thin or not overlapping correctly, blurry. Also look for different colored bands than normal: black instead of gold. Check the Guerlain logo, if it isn't sharp and clear, you may have a fake.

Also check the label on the bottle. If the printing isn't clear and perfect or match the font of the genuine bottle, you might have a fake. There should also be no globs of ink or off kilter lettering. Also check to see if the label that is supposed to be paper is printed directly on the bottle, another indication of a fake bottle.

Check the bottom of your bottle, if the description can be scraped off easily with a fingernail, this is a good indication it may be a fake. Look to see if a cheap label is stuck on (some perfumes have these etched) applied crookedly or has any info missing or different.

Examine barcodes. Barcodes should be at the bottom of the perfume box. If you see that they are the side of the box, you should be suspicious.

Check that the name of the perfume is spelled correctly, many fakes have a missing letter or the perfume name is slightly different than what it should be.

Look on the ingredients list to see of any of the ingredients is spelled incorrectly.

When applying the perfume, the fragrance should not alter after application within 20 minutes, it should last as long as you are used to.

If the perfume smells unusual or like a cleaning solvent or rubbing alcohol. If you're not sure, take this quick test: apply the perfume from the identical Guerlain fragrance with the identical concentration (eau de cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum) department store or other genuine source on one wrist, and the unknown fragrance on the other wrist. Do a smell check to see if they match. If they do match, check again after 10 minutes. A fake won't be able to keep up the olfactory facade and will dissipate quickly. Vintage perfumes usually have their top notes bruised from age, how they were stored, climate in which they were stored and the overall natural shelf life of perfume oils. Take that in consideration if the item is vintage.

Sometimes you might mistake a genuine perfume for a fake one. This confusion can arise if you are nervous or not familiar with the perfume itself. If it's been years since you've last smelled it on your skin, your skin chemistry may have changed which will alter the fragrance. Other factors can be humidity in the air, age of the perfume, and the concentration.

If you've determined that your perfume is a fake, then follow the appropriate measures of filing a claim thru ebay or paypal.

Fake Fragrances: What Is Really in Them?

Government and industry studies and testing have discovered that some of the ingredients that make up counterfeit cosmetics and fragrances are downright dangerous:

Phony cosmetics often contain things such as arsenic, beryllium, and cadmium (all known carcinogens) along with high levels of aluminum and dangerous levels of bacteria. Some of these products have caused conditions like acne, psoriasis, rashes, and eye infections.

Counterfeit fragrances have been found to contain something called DEHP, classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a probable human carcinogen. These phony perfumes and colognes, which sometimes contain urine as well, have been known to cause serious skin rashes.

From ABC News:

Fake Fragrances: What Is Really in Them? By ELISABETH LEAMY (@elisabethleamy) and VANESSA WEBER
Jan. 27, 2010

"For most shoppers, getting fancy-looking goods at low prices is a good enough reason to buy counterfeit products. But a knockoff is not always a great deal, especially when it comes to counterfeit perfume, because a fake fragrance gets absorbed into the skin.

"Active ingredients found in counterfeit fragrance include things like urine, bacteria, antifreeze," Valerie Salembier, senior vice president and publisher of Harper's Bazaar, said.

Salembier and her staff have dedicated themselves to exposing counterfeits for more than six years. In the January issue of Harper's Bazaar, they target fake fragrances. They brought the issue of counterfeit perfume to "GMA's" attention.

Authorities in Britain and Ireland tested fake fragrances they'd seized and detected urine. Experts speculate it's used as a ph balance stabilizer and for its color

 Dermatologist Jeannette Graf, of Great Neck, N.Y., said she had never seen a reaction from real perfumes, but fake ones can cause contact dermatitis, or an inflammation of the skin.

 "They will invariably say that they felt different as soon as they put it on. They felt burning. They saw redness. It felt uncomfortable, it didn't smell right. And that's almost immediate," Graf said.
 Graf said she is beginning to see more cases, because counterfeit perfumes are easy to buy on the streets and the Internet would not have necessarily had before," Graf said.

Police are stepping up their raids to get the merchandise off the streets and off the market. But just as one shop is shut down, another one pops up.

ABC News' undercover cameras documented shelves upon shelves of fragrances that experts said contain the telltale signs of counterfeits.

"We see it happening every day. I mean, whether it's vendors [selling] out of their trunk at athletic events, whether it's kiosk-type people at flea markets, sometimes, they actually get into the shopping centers," Elaine Marshall, North Carolina's secretary of state, said.

Attempt to Drive Down Demand for Fake Fragrances 

Earlier this month, Marshall's team and other federal and county agencies conducted a raid at a liquidation sale in downtown Durham.

The team seized $3.6 million worth of counterfeits, including fake perfume.

"We want to drive down demand. We want people to realize that it's not a bargain. It's not a bargain because they're dealing with some bad folks," Marshall said.

So the next time you reach for a fake another word should come to mind: fraud.

"It is not a victimless crime. The money spent on counterfeit goods supports terrorism, child labor, drug cartels," Salembier said."

Personal Care Products Council Statement
Jan. 27, 2010

"In response to an ABC News story about counterfeit perfumes the Personal Care Products Council released the following statement:

"Counterfeit products are damaging to all facets of American business and can be hazardous to consumers. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the value of seized counterfeit fragrances increased by more than five times from 2007-2008 to a street value of $6.7 million.

Counterfeiting and piracy have taken a serious, negative toll on our economy, contributing to the loss of an estimated 750,000 American jobs.

"Cosmetic and personal care product companies take great pride in producing safe, quality products, including fragrances. However, unlike authentic fragrances, counterfeit fragrances are not subject to the same strict safety substantiation requirements required under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). Consumers should purchase fragrances from reputable, recognized retail outlets or directly from the manufacturer, to be assured they are purchasing an authentic, safe product."

What the FBI Says

This is taken directly from the FBI's website, please read carefully.


Counterfeit Cosmetics, Fragrances - Hazardous to Your Health
01/02/14

You see what appears to be your favorite brand name eye shadow, eye liner, or fragrance for sale at a flea market or on an unfamiliar website. You notice the price is lower than what you normally pay at your favorite retail store or through an authorized online dealer.

Before you hand over your hard-earned money, though, keep this in mind: It could be counterfeit, and—in addition to buying something that’s not the real deal—you are also risking your health by buying and using products that may contain substandard or even dangerous substances.

The National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Center—of which the FBI is a partner—wants you to know that the volume of all sorts of counterfeit cosmetics and fragrances coming into the U.S. is definitely on the rise…that’s according to our industry partners as well as law enforcement. Why is this happening? Because the Internet has given counterfeiters widespread access to customers, and because criminals increasingly view dealing in counterfeit personal care products—as well as other knock-off consumer goods as well—as a relatively low-risk crime since many of the perpetrators are located outside of the U.S.

Government and industry studies and testing have discovered that some of the ingredients that make up counterfeit cosmetics and fragrances are downright dangerous:

Phony cosmetics often contain things such as arsenic, beryllium, and cadmium (all known carcinogens) along with high levels of aluminum and dangerous levels of bacteria. Some of these products have caused conditions like acne, psoriasis, rashes, and eye infections.

Counterfeit fragrances have been found to contain something called DEHP, classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a probable human carcinogen. These phony perfumes and colognes, which sometimes contain urine as well, have been known to cause serious skin rashes.

Indicators of Counterfeits

- The packaging differs slightly from the authentic brand (might be a different color or different lettering on the product), and/or the product’s wrapping appears haphazard. 

- The product is being advertised as a “limited edition” even though the authentic manufacturer doesn’t offer it as a limited edition. 

- The price is either slightly or drastically lower. 

- For cosmetics, the product’s consistency or texture just doesn’t feel or look like the authentic brand. 

- For fragrances, there’s something a little off about the scent, and the color of the fluid in the bottle might be different than the original. 

- For both products, they’re being sold at non-authorized retailers, including flea markets, mall kiosks, and over the Internet.

There is no typical profile of the individuals or groups trafficking in these kinds of counterfeit products…and this might just be one of their many illegal activities—often times, the illicit proceeds are used to fund other types of crime. We’ve also seen people selling counterfeit products through online auction sites and other websites just to make a little extra cash…some may not even realize their merchandise is fake.

Because of the dangers to the public, law enforcement is mobilizing against counterfeit cosmetics and fragrances. For example, the nearly two dozen U.S. and foreign agencies that make up the National IPR Center are working on the matter—sharing intelligence with one another, coordinating with state and local law enforcement, and developing relationships with industry representatives.
But we need the public’s help.

First, educate yourself about some of the common indicators of counterfeit cosmetics and fragrances so that you don’t become a victim. If you’re not sure about the authenticity of a product, don’t buy it.

And second, if you think you or someone you know may have purchased counterfeit cosmetics or fragrances—or if you suspect someone of selling counterfeit items—submit a tip to the National IPR Center. The more information law enforcement has, the more effective we can be. With the proliferation of counterfeit goods increasing at an alarming rate, the National IPR Center focuses on keeping these bogus and often unsafe products off U.S. streets while dismantling the criminal organizations behind this activity.