FASHION VICTIM Huge spike in fake Facebook ads selling rip-off clothing during coronavirus pandemic – how to spot them

SHOPPERS are being warned about fake clothes being sold via Facebook posts after a huge surge counterfeit items which are bought online.

Last year, 31 per cent of shoppers unintentionally bought fake products online - up from 24 per cent in 2018, according to research by Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG).

A shop, under the name of Brand Store Clearance Online (left) impersonated the Monsoon Facebook page (right)

And 23 per cent of those items were bought through social media, either through a post or a sponsored advert.

The group has found big high street names such as Clarks, Monsoon and Tommy Hilfiger had been impersonated in sponsored social media posts.

The adverts feature real photographs of retailers' stock in the posts and also contain branded images.

But when you click through to the link it will take you to a scam website which looks the same as the retailers but has a different URL.

A targeted ad from the counterfeit goods website, Brand Store Clearance Online, is seen on Facebook

If unsuspecting shoppers click on the "Contact Us" section of the website, they will be led to other fraudulent domains.

One account, under the name of Brand Store Clearance Online, posted sponsored adverts on Facebook for Clarks and created a page for Monsoon.

Both shops have faced financial difficulty during lockdown, with Clarks announcing some of its stores will not reopen and Monsoon revealing 35 stores had closed for good with 545 jobs lost.

"Shoppers need to make sure they double-check that what they are buying is not a counterfeit by reading consumer reviews, and confirming the payment credentials to make sure the items are being sold by an approved seller from the country they claim to be resident in."

Shoe retailer Clarks was also impersonated by the fake shop Brand Store Clearance Online

Facebook's policy says that it reviews every advert before they are published on the website and fake goods are banned.

Facebook has confirmed that it will remove Brand Store Clearance Online Facebook page.

"We continue to invest in people and technology to identify and remove this content, and we urge people to report any suspicious content to us."

A fake Tommy Hilfiger advert is seen on Instagram