Arc’teryx reminds consumers, ‘If the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.’
As the holiday shopping push ramps up, some Facebook users may see a heck of a bargain come through their newsfeeds.
Ordinarily, an 87-percent discount might raise some alarms. But with the Black Friday-to-Cyber Monday weekend of extreme deals, this “Fake’teryx” scam might dupe a few frenzied shoppers.
So we reached out to Arc’teryx to confirm that this post was, in fact, a phony.
“Please refrain from making any purchases from this link as it is a fraudulent site and in no way affiliated with Arc’teryx. We are aware of the site and are in the process of bringing it down as fast as we can,” the brand told GearJunkie in an email.
Arc’teryx Scam: Jacket Sale
Like many modern cyber-grifts, this scam uses a number of identical websites under different URLs. We came across both jacket.julket.com and jacket.helershop.com, but there are certainly more.
The sites purport to offer more than a dozen insulated jackets and shells, including popular models like the Atom, Cerium, Gamma, and more. What’s more, each jacket comes with the choice of virtually any color of the rainbow.
It also posts under various Facebook pseudonyms and a variety of artwork. But from the few we’ve seen, it usually involves Arc’teryx at 80 percent off or more — and selling $800 jackets for $98.
How to Spot Fake Arc’teryx Gear
Arc’teryx also offers advice for consumers on how to identify and report fraudulent sites and gear. The brand said any site that uses the “Arc’teryx” name and isn’t one of the official brand pages listed below should be considered fraudulent:
- www.arcteryx.com
- www.veilance.arcteryx.com
- www.leaf.arcteryx.com
- www.pro.arcteryx.com
- www.corporate.arcteryx.com
Arc’teryx also provides some physical things to look out for that may alert consumers to knock-off gear:
- Logos: Tidy, precise, tightly stitched, visually match the brand standard and Arc’teryx is spelled correctly — watch for the apostrophe
- Velcro tabs: Tapered shape, supple material, no excess decoration or rubberized tabs
- Zippers: High-quality YKK or Vislon zippers only, with color-matched powder coated sliders
- Lamination: Check for seam tape that is narrow, pliable, and cleanly applied; technicians in Arc’teryx factories are highly skilled, disciplined workers, capable of difficult constructions
- Genuine hangtags: All products are labeled as well as branded, stitched in place, and consistent
If you think gear might be fraudulent, contact ReportAFake@arcteryx.com.
