If you are shelling out a lot of money for a luxury or designer item, then authentication is important. While it is easy to do a quick “legit check” by comparing your purchase with images of the real thing, that can only get you so far – especially if you are worried about very accurate fakes that might slip through.
Turning to experts is the easiest way to ensure that you are getting a genuine item, but that can sound like a very daunting task at first. Thankfully, there are dedicated services out there specifically focused on identifying fakes, and there is nothing wrong with turning to them if you need their help.
Luxury Item Forgery Checks
Designer authentication and fakery checks are best done with relevant specialists. This usually means looking into people who have experience with that kind of item, whether it is watches and jewelry or mobile phones and other tech products.
For example, if you are worried about a pair of exclusive sports trainers being fake, then you should try and find services that deal with those products often. They are more likely to understand the smaller details that can set the real items apart from the forgeries.
Of course, this step can be skipped over if you work with larger-scale authentication services like LegitGrails and other similar companies. These services draw on the expertise of a wide range of specialists and experts, meaning that they can reliably check a range of items without committing to only one niche.
Contacting An Authentication Service
It is not that hard to get in contact with a luxury authentication service or even a specific brand/designer authentication expert. The important part is knowing what kind of expert to turn to, so be sure to explore your options before you send that opening email.
Most conversations with authentication teams will go in the same general way: you supply details on the item along with images and/or the item itself (depending on how they operate). From there, the team will verify the item and make sure that it is a legitimate version of that item.
Note that this is not always as complex as it sounds. A legit check might be something as simple as looking up an item’s serial number to see if it has already been sold or comparing the item to a closely-kept style guide that breaks down the different design elements that mark a legitimate version.
How Do I Know If I Need To Use An Authentication Service?
In general, if you have something valuable and/or rare that you want to prove the authenticity of, then these services are important. Even if you do not care that much about verifying the item, knowing that it is not a fake or forgery can be important if you ever decide to re-sell the item later on.
Some groups and services, such as enthusiast clubs for particularly rare items or luxury brands, might also restrict you from joining if you can’t prove that the item is authentic. If nothing else, having proof never hurts, and you generally only have to authenticate an item once.
