eBay: Sprinting Forward to Fight Online Sneaker Fraud
October 13, 2020
“EBay Launches Sneaker Authentication Service to Combat Counterfeit Sales” caught one of the DarkCyber research team’s attention. When I read the forwarded email about this Verge article, I wondered why the title wasn’t “Ebay Sprints Forward with a Sneaker Authentication Service.” I then realized that eBay has been in business for 25 years and product fraud has been around at least that long on the service. One of my friends who used to work in a British security service worked as an adviser to eBay. I recall that he mentioned that eBay online crime was a “stunner.” I assumed he meant that the amount of online crime was enough to startle an experienced investigator.
According to the Silicon Valley “real” news write up:
Collectible sneakers are big business.
I recall instances of robbery and murder for a pair of gym shoes. Yeah, that is a “real” news factoid. Murder amps up the perceived value of this particular apparel sector.
Here’s how the quarter century old digital market will deal with fake gym shoes:
As with its previously-announced watch authentication service, eBay has partnered with a third-party company, Sneaker Con, to authenticate items. When a sale is made, the buyer ships the sneakers to an “authentication facility” where they’re inspected to make sure they match the listing’s title, description, and images. If they pass the inspection, an eBay tag is attached to them, and they’re sent on to the buyer. The same process covers returns, to stop unscrupulous buyers from trying to return fake sneakers to legitimate sellers.
Sprinting to the future or stepping up slowly? DarkCyber thinks eBay is doing the speed walking associated with 75 year olds. Interpretation: Move slowly. Maybe “Ebay Limps Forward with a Sneaker Authentication Service.”
Stephen E Arnold, October 13, 2020
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