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Perfume Scam - Has It Reached Online?

Did you know that you have most likely come across a phony perfume before? It was probably while browsing through your local market stalls. Come on, you know the ones! 'If you like Ralph, you will certainly love Rolph!' When you see something like that, your 'perfume scam' alarm bells should be going off! These cheap knock-offs SHOULD be quite EASY to spot, but these days' there are more and more sophisticated imitations are making their way onto the shelves at your favorite shops at the mall and more importantly, (and probably more worryingly) onto the Internet. Are you thinking, 'So why bother buying perfume online?' Don't stress, you can still find heaps of bargains via online shopping; all you need to know is what to look out for and what to keep away from. When online shopping, it may be harder to spot the fake, but there are ways of easily recognizing real from the fake when wandering around the local mall.

How to Spot the FAKE Perfume from the Bona Fide Perfume!

It is not as easy as you may have originally thought. Criminals are getting cleverer. Some of them are now producing virtually indistinguishable imitations of ALL the popular perfume brands - making it incredibly hard to pick the legitimate product. Here are five easy ways to help ensure that you are not going to be ripped-off.

  • Inspect the cellophane and the box. Are there any signs of the excessive use of glue or the use of any sticky tape? You should look at the overall quality of the cellophane - including the thickness and clarity. When looking at the condition of the box, have a look at the general quality of the cardboard - is the box sturdy or even the correct color?
  • Inspect the printing on the box and on the labels. You should be looking for the size of the bottle, where the product was made and any misspellings. It is also important to check the name of the perfume you are looking at!
  • Examine the shape of the bottle and the quality of the glass. Is it identical to the real deal? You can usually look on the company's website to see what the real deal is meant to look like, in shape and design. What about the quality and clarity of the glass?
  • ALWAYS test the perfume if you can. In-store, be sure to always ask for a test of the perfume you wish to buy. Does it smell strange? Is it murky when it should be crystal clear?
  • If you are not in a rush, you should test number of hours the scent lasts. If it only lasts an hour or so, it is probably a fake.

But what if you are planning on buying perfume online? Do not stress about being sucker to a perfume scam. You can protect yourself from online scammers if you take the time to research the website and company you plan on buying from.

What's Better - Buying Perfume In-Store or Buying Perfume from Online Perfume Stores?

It is really up to you how you go about buying your perfume. In reality, it really depends on your personal taste and what you are most comfortable doing. If you feel that you will be able to spot the fake in-store and are worried about getting duped online, then perhaps shopping in-store is best for you. You should keep in mind that if you prefer to buy your perfume at a shop at the mall will probably mean that you will end up handing over A LOT more money than you should be. Who pays retail price these days? On the other hand however, buying in-store means that you can physically inspect the perfume - test it on your skin and perhaps best of all; smell the perfume before purchasing it. On the other hand, if you prefer buying perfume from online perfume stores, it may mean that you can buy all of those perfumes you love from overseas that may not be available at your local mall. You can usually pick them up for a bargain basement price! But, REMEMBER - you are then running the risk of your purchase being an imitation. Buying perfume online and buying perfume in-store both have their benefits and they both have their downfalls. If you are sensible and take the time to learn who you are buying from, whether they are a reputable company and you are assured that you will get what you pay for! You should be able to find a genuine perfume in-store or on one of the many online perfume stores on the Internet without being caught up in a perfume scam. Good luck in finding that genuine bargain!