How to Spot a Fake Prada Purse

Prada purses have long been popular among women who are devoted to sporting high end Italian fashion accessories. These classic, timeless handbags are also expensive, perhaps too costly for most people to afford. The demand for the stylish look of Prada handbags without the high cost leads many unscrupulous manufacturers to produce low quality replicas. Unfortunately these fakes are sometimes sold as authentic Prada purses, often to unsuspecting shoppers online and in retail settings. So how can we as a consumers tell the difference between the real deal and a fake?

Instructions

How to Spot a Fake Prada Purse

1. Look for the certificate of authenticity card, which is always included with authentic Prada handbags. The information on the card should match the description and color of the bag and include a style number. Real Prada bags also come with a protective dust cover. If there is no authenticity card or the information included is incorrect in any way, the bag is a fake. Another warning sign of a faux Prada bag is a low quality dust cover that pills or has the Prada logo printed crookedly or with uneven lettering.

2. Check the exterior of the purse for signs of poor quality. Loose threads, uneven seams or cheap looking hardware are all indications that the bag is not real. Other red flags include loose or flimsy zippers and tarnished or discolored buttons and snaps. Also, make sure that the purse itself is a style that Prada actually sells. Sometimes faux Prada bags are produced in shapes and styles that Prada has never actually produced.

3. Inspect the interior of the bag to help determine authenticity. The inside of a real Prada bag will almost always bear tone-on-tone nylon or fabric in a coordinating color that bears the Prada name. Knock-off purses often do not have the logo liner and have cheap, flimsy interior fabric. In some cases, knock offs even bear a "made in China" label or tag inside of the bag. Also, take note of what the bag is stuffed with at the time of purchase. Authentic Prada purses will be never be stuffed with newspaper or cheap colored tissue.

4. Carefully examine the logos inside and outside of the bag. With fake Prada purses, the monogram is often similar to the real thing but not exactly the same. For example, the identical font might be used but Prada may be spelled incorrectly or the spacing of the letters will look off. On impostor purses, the logo is often slightly crooked and cheaply attached with tape or glue. Also, make sure that the metal Prada logo emblem on the front of the bag is authentic. The letter "R" in Prada should curve inward slightly on the lower right leg of the letter. Fake Prada bags will either have a straight "R" or gently curve to the left.

5. If the price of the bag is very low and seems to good to be true, it's a fake. Refrain from buying so called Prada handbags and accessories from street vendors and online auctions because these are hardly ever the real thing. Authentic Prada handbags will rarely cost less than $500 and can be purchased directly from a Prada store, Prada outlet or a licensed reseller.