Fake LEGO online stores: the manufacturer releases "a guide" to spot scams

The phenomenon has grown to such an extent that LEGO could not decently refrain from communicating for longer: fake online stores in the brand's colors abound and even if we do not really know how many consumers are victims of these often ephemeral signs. which ape the official store, the manufacturer is going there today with a series of advice which in principle should allow the most gullible to avoid being cheated.

In summary, it would suffice to pay attention to the presentation of the store in question, to verify the presence and validity of the various contact information communicated there, to be wary of too tempting prices, to pay with a credit card. to possibly benefit from the protections attached to it and to take into account the opinions of other customers about the store in question. Nothing revolutionary, we call that common sense.

In practice, it is often a little more complicated and those who set up these ephemeral shops improve over time. Sleek presentation, prices not always strangely too attractive to be true, fewer misspellings, a host of fake reviews from satisfied customers, sponsored ads on social networks with fake reviews, everything is done so that consumers easily fall into the trap knowing that in the best case it will receive a counterfeit product, if it is not a simple scam aiming to collect banking data or to collect money without ever delivering anything.

We must also distinguish between the two "business models"different which are at work and which are moreover not specific to the toy market. On the one hand, it is a question of counterfeit" dropshipping "from the big online brands like Aliexpress via an intermediary store which takes his commission on the way. In this case, you will one day receive a parcel from China containing a counterfeit of an official product. On the other, the "fake" store is simply used to make consumers fall for a very good deal and the seller will disappear with the money without delivering anything in return.For LEGO, these two concepts are one, its image takes a hit in any case.

Again, a little common sense is all it takes to avoid being fooled. An official LEGO Bugatti Chiron for € 35 instead of € 380? If you believe it, then there is not much that can be done for you and that natural selection is not just a theory.

In any case, remember that the only official official LEGO online store is the one at https://www.lego.com/fr-fr and trust other brands whose names you know. If in doubt, you can also come and ask the question in the comments of the blog, you will quickly get an answer from the most frequent readers.