A recent study from Michigan State University found that most people were scammed into buying a counterfeit product while shopping online in the past year.
The study conducted through MSU’s Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection surveyed more than 13,000 consumers from 17 different countries including the United States on the prevalence and perceptions related to buying counterfeit products.
“We found that about seven in ten consumers reported that when they were shopping online they bought a product and later found out that it was counterfeit,” said Saleem Alhabash, lead researcher on the study.
Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp were the most common online platforms where these types of scams occurred. Young men were most likely to be scammed than other groups.
“The most common items for counterfeit products are apparel, shoes, handbags, luxury items,” said Alhabash.
The research also showed that about 7% of participants were scammed into purchasing medication online. Younger consumers tend to be scammed into purchasing prescription medications like OxyContin and stimulants.
"We have seen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic a flourishing and exponential growth in the number of online pharmacies that are out there,” Alhabash said. “And research conducted by other entities has shown that 95% of these online pharmacies include illegal and illicit substances that are present on these websites.”
To avoid being scammed, Alhabash recommends doing research on companies before buying.
“A major red flag is to click on the source or the seller and make sure that you can identify valid contact information, a phone number that actually makes sense an address and website that you can click on in general,” he said.
Researchers say if product descriptions include misspelling or grammatical errors, it’s likely that the products being sold are not real.
“We know that brands spend a lot of money to make sure that their image is polished,” Alhabash said. “So, it is unlikely that a brand that is promoting a product would make spelling or grammatical errors.”
According to the Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection, the most significant warning sign is the extent of the discount on a product.
"If the price appears remarkably low, it's always a clear red flag," Alhabash emphasized.
Alhabash underscores the importance of vigilance and critical evaluation of information to potentially save lives amid the undeniable allure of online shopping.
"My personal favorite tip for the season is to remember that the holiday season is more about more than just buying gifts and more than just the material aspects of consumption," he said.
