No real big surprise here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/marketplace-counterfeits-fakes-online-shopping-1.5470639
I've also heard lotsa merchandise on these sites is stolen. People go on a shoplifting spree, and then sell all that stuff on ebay
I've also heard lotsa merchandise on these sites is stolen. People go on a shoplifting spree, and then sell all that stuff on ebay
We bought dozens of products from AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, Walmart and Wish. Over half were suspected fakes
It's quick, convenient and ships right to your front door. But a Marketplace investigation found that you can't always trust what you purchase online — even if the seller, platform or price seems legit.
To test how prevalent counterfeits are online, Marketplace purchased dozens of well-known products — ranging from electronics to sportswear to cosmetics — from five popular online retailers: AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, Walmart and Wish.
Each product listing seemed legitimate, with some prices that compared to retail stores and official-looking advertisements.
More than half of the products Marketplace received were suspected or confirmed counterfeits, with knockoffs found on every platform.
And in some cases, Marketplace found that the risk of ending up with a knockoff might be more than just a financial hit.
Alarming levels of heavy metals
Some of the goods purchased by Marketplace were health and beauty products from multiple brands, including MAC lipstick, Crest Whitestrips, Kylie Cosmetics lip kits, Urban Decay's "Naked" eyeshadow pallets and Biotherm eye cream.
The products were then sent to a scientific lab in the Toronto area for heavy metal analysis.
Our experts sound off on suspected fakes in this week's episode, Counterfeit Crackdown. Tune in at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT) Friday on CBC-TV or Gem.
Two products — both purchased from AliExpress — contained heavy metal levels exceeding Health Canada's standards for cosmetics.
The first, Mac Lustre Lipstick in "Lady Danger" was confirmed to be counterfeit by parent company Estee Lauder. One big giveaway? Lady Danger is not one of the brand's "lustre" shades, but rather is part of its matte line of lipsticks.
What's more, the product was found to contain 751 times the amount of lead Health Canada considers acceptable in cosmetics.
That's a big concern, says University of Guelph toxicologist Ryan Prosser, because the product goes on the lips and could be easily ingested. "It's pretty shocking," he said.
Exposure to high levels of lead could have an impact on a person's cognitive ability, he said. It's an even larger risk for children, who have still developing nervous systems.
"You could obviously expose children if they're playing with the lipstick, playing dress-up, or if they're in contact with a caregiver that's wearing lipstick," said Prosser
