Just a heads up. I was searching for scope rings, when I ran across a number of listings on Ali Express for a company selling a large number of high end Vortex products, including the Gen II PST at less than half the retail price, and including all accessories, documentation, etc. yet blanking out some of the letters in the ad due to "copyright issues". It says they come off the same line as the brand name and include all markings and serial numbers. Just a heads up, that if you bought one of these second hand and have warranty issues, they might not honor the warranty owing to the serial number. Or they might?
Ali Express sells grey market Vortex
- Thread starter Grizzlypeg
- Start date
Yes, so what does this do to the confidence of a second hand purchase of a Vortex scope? We already have the problem of Korth not warranting Leupolds that were imported from the states, messing with a good transferrable warranty.
stickhunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Victoria, B.C.
Yes, like with fake Leupolds and grey-market Leupolds, you really have to be cautious on the second hand market. While it's pretty obvious when you purchase from Ali Express etc. that that you're getting a counterfeit, that knowledge either gets lost intentionally or unintentionally as the scope is sold down the chain.
Many years ago, I fell victim to a counterfeit Vortex that had been sold used through an Ontario dealership (I honestly believe unbeknownst to them). In that particular instance, Vortex confirmed the counterfeit, but since it was the first such appearance of this particular model optic, they wanted to take a look so exchanged the fake for a real one. I wouldn't expect that to be a normal occurrence.
Unless obviously an older model scope that predates the proliferation of counterfeits, my SOP is to now call Leupold or Vortex to confirm the serial number. It means potentially losing out on deals, but so be it.
Many years ago, I fell victim to a counterfeit Vortex that had been sold used through an Ontario dealership (I honestly believe unbeknownst to them). In that particular instance, Vortex confirmed the counterfeit, but since it was the first such appearance of this particular model optic, they wanted to take a look so exchanged the fake for a real one. I wouldn't expect that to be a normal occurrence.
Unless obviously an older model scope that predates the proliferation of counterfeits, my SOP is to now call Leupold or Vortex to confirm the serial number. It means potentially losing out on deals, but so be it.
84wh1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
just good reason why its important to do your homework when buying anything used. Original box? Serial number provided to the buyer for verification? Original receipt? Always a good idea to do your checks if you care enough.
I fell victim to a well priced (and well made) knock off Eotech Vudoo scope. Thankfully the seller was an honorable man and took it back.
My thought exactly. And the poster above that said to look for original box, etc, the ones on Ali Express come with all that. Asking for the receipt from the store would be about all you could do. I know I don't keep my receipts for much.
84wh1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
literally, the second it becomes popular, knock off exists. Ive even seen knock off of the Bushnell TRS25 LOL. Literally a 100$ red dot.
FatCatsDad
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
They are not cheap.....Cabelas sells this model for $749.
Nothing on Ali Exlress I real, from watches to fishing reels.
You can even buy rolls of Toonies and 1 oz gold coins...and there good enough to fool 99% of the occasional gold buyer.
Nothing on Ali Exlress I real, from watches to fishing reels.
You can even buy rolls of Toonies and 1 oz gold coins...and there good enough to fool 99% of the occasional gold buyer.
ATRS Shaun
Business Member Rep.
- Location
- Calgary, AB
If the seller was on gunp0st, out of the greater-vancouver area, he wasn't an honorable man... he was trying to make sure you didn't leave negative feedback and burn his account.
I got 'had' on a Vortex Razor Gen II-e, I verified with Vortex it was a counterfeit.
I contacted the seller and he played dumb about it apologized, asked me to please not leave negative feedback and he refunded me. BUT... my spidey sense was tingling by that point.
Then I went through his gunp0st profile and messaged every single person he had feedback from... I told them my story, asked for pictures and serial numbers of their optics, Nightforce, Trijicon, Vortex... turns out all of them had bought expensive LPVO's from him and they were ALL counterfeits.
Tracked down the counterfeit's and they were about $300 each, and he was selling for $1300-$2k. He was selling about ten or twenty a month.
I shipped the counterfeit scope to Vortex instead of returning it to him.
Make no mistake, it's a business.
He refunded the first few people who messaged him on that profile with the same request to not leave bad feedback I had got. After a few people got refunded, he considered the account burnt and disappeared. They make an account, age it for about a year then give it 'just' enough feedback from their other accounts (that are being aged) to give it enough legitimacy to start collecting legitimate feedback from unknowing victims.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Is also "fake" Zeiss scopes as well - my neighbour has two of them - he bought them pretty sure they were not authentic, but work well on his two 22-250 rifles. Wrong colour logo, wrong many things - probably coloured and lighted reticle about biggest "not right" thing. But is what some people want - to claim to own the brand name, even though they know it is a "fake" product. I am sure by the time his son or grandson sells the things, the part about "fake" will be overlooked, forgotten, or never known about.
Tricky thing is that if they can counterfeit the product and logo, why can they not counterfeit a serial number, as well.
Buyer beware. Buyer be vigilant. Definitely try to learn the subtleties of a make before you drop hard-earned cash.
Buyer beware. Buyer be vigilant. Definitely try to learn the subtleties of a make before you drop hard-earned cash.
They also sell fake sig romeo 5 gen 1... they are almost an exact copy so be aware. as noted previously they copy the name, engraving,...
even worst are story of people buying from place like amazon just to receive a fake one aswell... my brother bought a high end scope few months ago on amazon ( warehouse deals) with a big inspected sticker on the box, just to receive a chinese scope in the box...
even worst are story of people buying from place like amazon just to receive a fake one aswell... my brother bought a high end scope few months ago on amazon ( warehouse deals) with a big inspected sticker on the box, just to receive a chinese scope in the box...
So, the thing is... this stuff is often NOT counterfit. Not exactly.
A frequent occurrence is that these actually ARE the things they say they are... but exemplars that were destined for the trash due to QC. Ali, Temu, but also depressingly often Amazon, sell factory rejects or after-hours product runs under various names (Virtex, Adibas and Rolix come to mind). Why let good profits go to waste, the thinking goes.
A frequent occurrence is that these actually ARE the things they say they are... but exemplars that were destined for the trash due to QC. Ali, Temu, but also depressingly often Amazon, sell factory rejects or after-hours product runs under various names (Virtex, Adibas and Rolix come to mind). Why let good profits go to waste, the thinking goes.
84wh1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
No it wasnt gunp0st. It was Kijiji. lol. Yes i know, kijijj WTF man. But ive had plenty of great deals over the years on Kijiji. But yeah, in the end the seller did give me back my money and paid for my return shipping.
