A woman paid £400 for what she believed was a genuine Prada handbag on Vinted only to discover it was counterfeit despite passing the platform’s paid authentication check, according to a BBC News report.
Authentication fee and purchase timeline
Dani Bekyarova-Delev of Stockport, Greater Manchester, bought the Prada bag on Vinted in 2024 and paid £10 for the optional authentication service, the BBC reported. She told BBC North West Tonight she had no doubts about authenticity when the bag arrived, partly because of buyer protection: “I was absolutely 100% sure that it will be fine and because of buyers protection... it looks absolutely normal, nothing to worry [about]. I was completely sure that it’s absolutely authentic.”
In line with Vinted’s rules, she accepted the order, confirming everything was OK with the item and releasing the payment to the seller, according to the BBC.
How the fake was uncovered
The first red flag appeared when Bekyarova-Delev visited the Prada store at the Trafford Centre and could not find the same handbag in the range; the shop assistant did not recognise it. The BBC reported that Bekyarova-Delev said she “wasn’t sure if the bag was real or not” and then paid for an independent authentication that found the bag fake.
Original documents may be reviewed, but they do not automatically guarantee successful verification.
Vinted, which refunded Bekyarova-Delev after the BBC contacted it, said experts had looked at the items and that original documents may be reviewed without guaranteeing verification, the BBC reported. Because she had accepted the bag, she was initially refused a refund even after showing Vinted that the platform had verified the item as genuine. “It was shocking to realise it was fake, and it was too late to do anything about it. I wasn’t aware that things like this happened,” she told the BBC.
Price comparison and refund
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Price paid on Vinted | £400 |
| Authentication fee | £10 |
| Similar style at Prada website | about £1,500 |
| Authentication outcome | Counterfeit |
| Refund | Issued after BBC contact |
The bag came with a white ticket reading “inspection label” and “expertly verified by” with a signature and the Vinted logo, according to the BBC description.
Previous warnings and platform rules
Last year, the BBC reported bargain hunters were being warned that criminals could sell fake designer clothes, handbags and shoes at prices suggesting they were real on a number of online platforms. Depop, eBay and Vinted previously said they would suspend or ban users caught selling counterfeit goods.
Vinted told the BBC it offered an optional verification service for selected designer items during which specialist teams assessed authenticity offline. “Decisions, including whether an item is potentially counterfeit, are made by trained specialists based on objective criteria and specific brand or product characteristics, such as stitching, logos and materials used in the design.” It added that all purchases, including item verification, were subject to its buyer protection policy.
What the case means for marketplace operators
For marketplace operators and cross-border sellers, the case documents a specific sequence: optional authentication costs £10; verification decisions rest on visual or product characteristics, not a guarantee; accepting an order releases payment and may block later refunds; and platforms maintain stated policies to suspend or ban counterfeit sellers. The buyer’s refund only came after the BBC contacted Vinted.
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