7 Easy Ways to Spot Fake Ray-Bans Before Buying a Pair

Don't be left empty-handed after falling for fake Ray-Ban scams. If they're especially cheap, chances are they're counterfeits.


Jesse Sumrak
Updated 14 December 2021
7 Easy Ways to Spot Fake Ray-Bans Before Buying a Pair

United States Counterfeit Goods Statistics


$1.3 billion in counterfeit items seized each year
$200 billion yearly loss to businesses

$959 billion (estimated value of the counterfeit market by 2022)

Source: Library of U.S. Congress

Sections on this page
  1. What Are Fake Ray-Bans?
  2. Red Flags of Fake Ray-Bans: The Listing
  3. Red Flags of Fake Ray-Bans: The Product
  4. Where Are Fake Ray-Bans Sold?
  5. What to Do If You Purchase Fake Ray-Bans
  6. Frequently Asked Questions

Ray-Bans sunglasses are one of the most iconic pieces of eyewear in history. However, authentic pairs can cost anywhere between $150 and $500—the high-quality lenses and ultra-light titanium frames aren't cheap—resulting in a rise of fake Ray-Bans.

Scammers want in on the high-price action and have been selling fakes for decades now. They've been refining their tactics, and now it's more complicated than ever to spot fake Ray-Bans from the real deal. To make matters trickier, more look-a-like brands are popping up that imitate Ray-Bans' style.

What Are Fake Ray-Bans?

First, let's distinguish the difference between fake Ray-Bans and Ray-Ban replicas.

Plenty of legitimate sellers create cheaper sunglasses that mimic the Ray-Ban style. However, they're not pretending to be the authentic brand—they're just capitalizing on a popular style.

There's nothing illegal, fraudulent, or even ethically wrong with this—these aren't fakes. They are simply knockoff brands. Walmart and CVS aren't selling fake Ray-Bans at the checkout display—they're just selling cheap knockoff brands.

On the other hand, fake Ray-Bans are phony sunglasses that pretend to be authentic, high-quality, and luxurious Ray-Bans—but they're not. They're made with low-quality imitation materials. These are the fakes you have to watch out for because they steal Ray-Bans' logo, packaging, and style to imitate the authentic sunglasses.

Red Flags of Fake Ray-Bans: The Listing

When you're purchasing online, you don't have the luxury of scrutinizing the product. Instead, you're going to have to evaluate the seller, platform, and listing itself to determine if the Ray-Ban deal is legitimate or not.

Here are a few tried-and-true methods for identifying a scam listing:

  1. Seller: Check the seller's contact information to ensure it matches. For example, if the seller's name is Jamie White, but the email address is [email protected], you should be suspicious.
  2. Price Tag: Ray-Bans are expensive. If you find a deal that seems too good to be true, it's usually because it is. Yes, you can find discount deals and steals, but always be hesitant when you see a lower-than-average price tag.
  3. Grammar and Typos: Scammers often make typos and grammar mistakes. Try copy/pasting their product descriptions into a plagiarism checker—if it comes back as plagiarized, then be cautious moving forward.
  4. Images: Unless your seller is a Ray-Ban store or certified dealer, they should use their own product images. If the seller has lifted the photos from Ray-Ban's website, be on high alert.
  5. Double-Check the Reviews: A 4.5-star rating doesn't guarantee a product is legitimate. Check the 1-star and 2-star reviews for bad experiences, and check the 5-star reviews for any apparent fakes.

Red Flags of Fake Ray-Bans: The Product

When buying a pair of Ray-Bans, pay special attention to the following features:

  • Packaging
  • Case
  • Paperwork
  • Lens
  • Hinges
  • Print on the sunglasses arms
  • “RB” print on the lens

There are many other brands of cheap sunglasses that copy the styles of classic Ray-Bans—these aren't fakes since they don't pretend to be actual Ray-Bans sunglasses. Keep an eye out for these also when shopping for new authentic Ray-Bans.

Packaging

Check your Ray-Ban sunglasses box. An authentic box will have a metallic sheen, while fakes have a more muted matte color. This is hard to distinguish if you only have one box to compare to, but it's an excellent red flag to get you looking for other fake indicators.

Case

Your Ray-Bans case should have the Ray-Ban logo on the side, as should the snap button. Authentic cases will have a shiny metallic logo, while fakes often have a matte finish.

Real vs fake Ray-Bans case
(Source: SportRx)

Paperwork

Open your case to find the included accessories and paperwork. Authentic Ray-Bans come with a branded cleaning cloth and user's manual. Fakes often throw in unnecessary additions like promotional material, product descriptions, stickers, and more. If your retailer includes any such materials, they'll come in the box—not the glasses case.

Authentic Ray-Bans are handmade in Italy. Check the right arm of your sunglasses to find the "Made in Italy" distinction.

Lens Material

Almost all Ray-Ban models feature glass lenses, whereas most fakes go the cheaper route with imitation plastic. Authentic Ray-Bans will feel heavier due to the denser high-quality materials. Fakes will often feel light and fragile—because they are.

Also, check for the sticker on the lens. Ray-Bans feature a metallic logo sticker on the left lens. Fakes will sometimes forget this sticker or use a cheaper matted logo.

Fake Ray-Bans sticker on lens
(Source: iSpotfake)

Hinges

Fakes Ray-Bans hinges often squeak when opening them because they're made of cheap plastic material. You won't struggle to open the arms of an authentic pair of Ray-Bans.

Arm Printing

You'll find the product details on the right arm of your sunglasses. There isn't always a tell-tale giveaway, but this is a common area for scammers to make mistakes. Look for typos, incorrect symbols, strange spacing, thick type font, and other dead giveaways.

Real vs fake Ray-Bans arm
(Source: SportRx)

"RB" on Lens

Real Ray-Bans feature a tiny "RB" logo etched onto the lens. It's not a sticker or a printing—it's a tangible etching. This will be high-quality and legible. If the logo is missing or obviously low-quality, you can be confident it's a fake.

Where Are Fake Ray-Bans Sold?

Below is a list of the most common places you'll find fake Ray-Ban sunglasses being sold:

Fake Ray-Bans are sold all over. Scammers have been fooling consumers for years now, which means plenty of honest sellers on eBay and Facebook Marketplace believe they have real-deal Ray-Bans. Even your favorite down-to-Earth cousin may be trying to sell you fakes without even realizing it.

That's why you can't just judge a product by its seller—you're going to need to learn how to spot the fakes by evaluating the actual sunglasses. We'll show you how to do it.

Where to Buy Real Ray-Bans

While lots of fake Ray-Bans are floating around the internet, there are several legitimate sellers you can trust to sell you authentic glasses. Below are some familiar places where you can buy real Ray-Bans:

You can also use Ray-Ban's store locator to find Ray-Ban retailers near you. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to use their Ray-Ban Online Certified Reseller search tool. It allows you to search by domain name to find authorized sellers.

What to Do If You Purchase Fake Ray-Bans

If you find you've purchased fake Ray-Bans, don't panic. Depending on where you bought the sunglasses, you can receive your money back. Here are a few popular online marketplaces and their money-back policies:

  • Amazon: Contact Amazon's customer service to file an A-to-Z Guarantee.
  • eBay: Contact eBay's customer service to ask about their money-back guarantee.
  • Facebook Marketplace: There are no guarantees for purchases made on the Facebook Marketplace.
  • Walmart Marketplace: Use Walmart's Marketplace Promise to track your purchases and request refunds.
  • Craigslist: There are no money-back guarantees for purchases made through Craigslist. Contact Craigslist to report the scam to protect yourself and others from future harm.

In addition to the e-commerce sites, you should contact the FBI's digital division to report the crime. If you made the purchase recently, contact your bank or credit card company to see if you can cancel the transaction before it processes. If the purchase has gone through, ask your credit card company for a chargeback.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spot fake Ray-Bans?

First, look through the online listing—there are five main things to pay special attention to when trying to identify a scam. After you received your purchase or if you're shopping in person, examine the sunglasses—there are seven telltale signs of fake Ray-Bans to look for.

Where are Ray-Bans made?

Real Ray-Bans are handmade in Italy. However, Luxottica (Ray-Ban's owner) does some of its manufacturing in China, so some Ray-Ban models are made there.

How much are Ray-Bans?

Authentic Ray-Bans usually cost between $150 and $500. If a seller is listing them for significantly less, then be on high alert. However, many scammers will sell fake Ray-Bans at high prices to make their listings look more legitimate.

Where can I buy real Ray-Bans?

You can purchase real Ray-Bans from Ray-Ban's official store or any of their authorized dealers.

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