6 Reasons Not to Buy Fake Designer Handbags

Designer handbags are very expensive, ranging from the hundreds to the ten-thousands depending on the designer, the style and the materials used. While it may be tempting to purchase fake designer handbags at a fraction of the cost of authentic designer handbags, there are many reasons not to buy fake designer handbags.

Reasons Not To Buy Fake Designer Handbags #1 - Fakes Are Illegal

It is illegal to sell or buy fake designer handbags. Your fake designer handbag could be confiscated; you would be out the money and the handbag. But you could be arrested, and if convicted, the maximum penalty is five years and a $250,000 fine. While you would probably not be arrested for buying only one fake designer handbag, if it can be proved that you have purchased several fake designer handbags for resale purposes, you could be convicted of this crime. In Danville, Virginia, a woman was recently convicted and pled guilty to selling fake Gucci handbags. She is in jail awaiting sentencing. A woman in San Diego was also recently convicted of dealing in fake Louis Vuitton handbags. She was lucky in that she received no prison time. However, she was fined, must perform 45 hours of community service, and cannot sell on the Internet for three years.

Reasons Not To Buy Fake Designer Handbags #2 - Fakes Support Terrorism

U.S. authorities have reported that the sale of counterfeit goods, including fake designer handbags, is a source of funding for terrorist groups throughout the world. By purchasing fake designer handbags, consumers are contributing to the growth of terrorism. The worldwide counterfeiting trade is considered to be valued at $500 billion. It has been reported that between October 2005 and September 2006 alone, the Department of Homeland Security seized $155 million worth of counterfeit goods.

Reasons Not To Buy Fake Designer Handbags #3 - Fakes Don't Deserve Your Money

Companies who manufacture designer handbags spend a lot of money designing, manufacturing, trademarketing, promoting and marketing their products. They have also worked hard to build their reputations as the best in their field. The individual designers that work for these companies have been educated in design methods and practices. These companies have the right to earn a profit from products, and to charge whatever prices they desire. In contrast, the makers of the fake designer handbags have not invested any money into the promotion of the designs and trademarks that they have stolen, yet they attempt to reap the benefits of them. And undeservedly so.

(AC writers, how would you like it if someone copied one of your articles and published it as their own?)

Reasons Not To Buy Fake Designer Handbags #4 - Fakes Are Poor Quality

Fake designer handbags are made with poor craftsmanship using inferior materials. If you look closely, the stitching at the seams is often crooked and unevenly spaced, sometimes with loose or missing stitches. The thread used may not be of a matching color, and also may not be strong enough to hold fake designer handbags together for very long. The zippers and metal hardware may break. The leather is not the first quality of a real designer handbag, but usually has the course feel of cheap inferior leather. The makers of fake designer handbags are only concerned with the superficial appearance of the fake bag, not of the quality. You get what you pay for.

Reasons Not To Buy Fake Designer Handbags #5 - Fakes Hurt The Economy

The global counterfeiting trade, which includes fake designer handbags, deprives the U.S. of approximately $200 billion a year in lost taxes. Since fake designer handbags are imported and sold "under the table", no taxes of any kind are paid. This impacts the U.S. economy, while facilitating the countries where fake designer handbags are produced. This is also perhaps indirectly responsible for the loss of jobs in the U.S.

Reasons Not To Buy Fake Designer Handbags #6 - Fakes Use Child Labor

Fake designer handbags are usually produced in countries that use child labor. Many times these children are working in appalling conditions, sometimes chained, starved and beaten. One recent report of a raid in Thailand tells about young children with broken legs being forced to work to produce these counterfeit products, including fake designer handbags.

It is my hope that these six reasons have convinced you not to buy fake designer handbags.