Chinese tourist duped into buying counterfeit Hermès bag in Bangkok

An employee holds an Hermès diamond and Himalayan Nilo Crocodile Birkin handbag at Heritage Auctions offices in Beverly Hills, California Sep. 22, 2014. Photo by Reuters

Deng, a 27-year-old Chinese woman, found the black Hermès crocodile leather bag on the seller’s Instagram before her Oct. 2023 Thailand trip, as Khaosod, a Thai newspaper, reported.

Enticed by the luxury item and finding the price reasonable for its market value, Deng agreed to pay 1.4 million baht for it at a Bangkok second-hand store after arriving in Thailand.

As Deng brought the bag to The Catch Fake Brandname, a Thai institute specializing in luxury goods authentication to verify her purchase’s authenticity, after completing the purchase, she was told by the institute that it was a counterfeit.

Upon attempting to return the bag and get a refund, Deng was denied by the seller, who claimed that the bag had lost its value after the sale. This led Deng to seek legal assistance, and with the help of a law firm, she lodged multiple complaints with the Thai police, as reported by The Thaiger news portal.

As Deng’s representative, accompanied by police, visited the second-hand store where she purchased the bag to discuss the matter, the store offered to repurchase it for 980,000 baht, 30% less than Deng’s payment.

Dissatisfied, Deng turned to Thai media earlier this month to publicize her situation.

Speaking through an interpreter, she emphasized to the press the struggles she faced attempting to get local authorities’ support, as reported by The Straits Times. She also expressed concern that tourists who have had similar experiences might become hesitant to travel and shop in Thailand.