Report fake or counterfeit goods

If you have bought goods that turn out to be fake or counterfeit, they will usually not match their description and will not conform to the contract in the way the CRA 2015 expects. That can give you remedies against the seller, separate from whether the police or Trading Standards pursue them criminally. You can also report the trader to help protect others, but enforcement bodies do not replace your own civil claim for a refund.

Getting a refund from the seller

In the first 30 days after you take ownership, many consumer sales allow you to reject non‑conforming goods and ask for a full refund, subject to proof and proportionate return of the item where that is safe and lawful.

After 30 days but within the first six months, the statutory picture is more structured: the seller may be entitled to one chance to repair or replace, but if that is impossible or disproportionate you may still move towards a refund. Where the goods are counterfeit, a “repair” is often meaningless; a genuine replacement may be what the law contemplates, and if that cannot be supplied a refund may follow.

Beyond six months you may still have a claim, but you may need to show the lack of conformity existed at delivery. Proving an item is counterfeit can mean evidence from the brand, an expert or clear comparison with authentic goods. Limitation (how long you can sue) can run for longer than six months, but delay weakens evidence and practical recovery—act promptly and keep a dated paper trail.

What to say in writing

Keep letters factual: what you ordered, what you paid, what you received, why you believe it is not genuine, and the remedy you want (usually refund and return instructions). For example:

“Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 this item does not match the description / is not of satisfactory quality because it is not genuine [brief reasons]. I reject the goods / I require a full refund of £[x] within [reasonable days].”

Tailor the wording to your facts; this is illustration only, not a template guaranteed to fit your case.

If the seller refuses

Sellers sometimes argue you “must have known” an item was fake because the price was low. That does not cancel your statutory rights: offering counterfeit goods as genuine is unlawful trading. The strength of your position still depends on evidence and what was said at the point of sale.

If you paid by card or PayPal

Parallel routes often matter because the seller may disappear or argue endlessly:

• Debit card — ask your bank about the chargeback rules for your card scheme (strict time limits).
• Credit card — for qualifying purchases, section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can make the card issuer jointly liable with the supplier within set monetary limits; smaller amounts may still go through chargeback.
• PayPal — use the provider’s dispute or resolution process and note their deadlines (often a matter of months from payment).

More detail is on our card, PayPal and chargeback page.

Report to Trading Standards

Local authority Trading Standards services investigate breaches of trading law. Reporting can support enforcement against the seller; it does not secure your refund by itself. You can report concerns via GOV.UK: report a business behaving unfairly.

Report fraud

If you believe you have been deliberately defrauded, you can report to Action Fraud (national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre) or, if you prefer to stay anonymous, Crimestoppers. Keep your own records; criminal reports do not replace civil refund routes.

We help you organise evidence, choose between overlapping routes and draft clear complaints to traders, platforms and payment schemes. We are not a law firm; for court or criminal matters we signpost regulated solicitors or the appropriate agencies.

All consumer resources