eBay is being flooded with dangerous counterfeit OTC drugs - the weight loss drug Alli in particular

[brettglass]

I recently tried to buy a bottle of the weight loss drug Alli, an enzyme inhibitor which inactivates the enzymes that digest fat. I searched for "Alli 170" to find the most economical size and bought a bottle. When it arrived, I discovered that there were misspellings on the (fake) product box; that there was no package insert; that the manufacturer's authenticity seals on the box and the bottle were absent; and that the capsules themselves were not marked as the manufacturer said genuine capsules would be. I tried again; the second bottle I ordered was fake as well. Both sellers had faked their locations, claiming to be in dramatically different locations than those from which the packages were shipped. I managed to get refunds, but then MORE fakes appeared on the site, some obvious just from the listing (the fake packages, which are being mass-produced, have the wrong proportions). At this moment there are at least a dozen bogus listings for the counterfeit products, many sharing the same photos.

This is not the only fake drug for sale on eBay, but is perhaps the most dangerous. According to the FDA, there was a rash of fake Alli for sale on eBay and other auction sites back in 2010 - see http://www.cbsnews.com/news/see-the-fdas-photo-gallery-of-alli-diet-drug-fakes-its-triple-trouble-fo... - and due to a recent price increase it is happening again. But I have found NO way to contact eBay and have it look into this problem. (eBay's social media staff on Twitter acknowledged my report but did absolutly nothing.) The fake capsules (I did not dare to take one) are likely filled with a dangerous stimulant that can sometimes cause people to lose weight but also causes heart problems. Does eBay care? Is it worried about getting sued? (It should be.) How to reach someone who can do something?

[krazzykats]

Always be vigilant and prioritize your safety.

If something feels off, it's best to leave it.

Be wary of low prices from unfamiliar sources.

Remember, it's crucial to trust your source.

[thepr-vwazu5t]

100% CORRECT!!! Thank you for your input 😊

[heatherlysight22]

Very scary and just got a bottle same thing..ugh. returning today thankfully.  

[dolby49497]

If you look at it hard enough all the stuff causes heart problems due to high blood pressure due to weight issues and it's still going to be uninvitable to happen.

[musp_wo_dlcrhy3ry]

I ALSO RECIEVED A BOGUS ALLI I ORDERED 2 THE GUY THAT SOLD THEM TO ME AFTER I TOLD HIM IT WAS COUNTERFIT  FAKE STATED JUST TAKE THEM AND WAIT THEY WILL WORK.  I SAID I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS IN THE CAPS.  I HAVE USED THESE FOR YEARS AND KNOW THEY LOOKED NOTHING LIKE THE REAL STUFF.  EBAY WAS OF NO USE THE DIDN'T GIVE A S---T.  THEN THE GUY REPREMANDED ME FOR MY MESSAGES WHAT NERVE I CONTACTED FDA TO REPORT THEM I ALSO CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO TOLD ME THEY WERE FAKE.  THE GUY SAID HE REFUNDED MY MONEY WELL I CAN'T FIND THAT.  I AM DONE WITH EBAY FOR GOOD.  THEY SAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE BUT IT BULL **bleep**. THEY DID NOTHING AND PAYPAL DID NOTHING EITHER SO I AM OUT OVER 51.OO IT SEEMS EVERYONE IS OUT TO SCREW YOU.  I RATHER USE AMAZON.  U CAN ALWAYS RETURN THE STUFF.  AND THEY BACK WHAT THEY SELL

[musp_wo_dlcrhy3ry]

YOU ARE SO RIGHT.  THEY DID NOT EVEN WANT TO HELP ME WITH THE FAKE ALLI.  AFTER KEEPING ME ON A CHAT LINE FOR OVER 45 MINUTES, BASICLLY NOT MY PROBLEM.  WELL THE FDA IS GOING TO INVESTIGATE CAUSE I PUT A REPORT IN

[musp_wo_dlcrhy3ry]

AGREED THEY SAY IF ITS COUNTERFIT.  MISSLEADING ETC THEYK DID NOTHING

[kensgiftshop]

---

@musp_wo_dlcrhy3ry wrote:

I ALSO RECIEVED A BOGUS ALLI I ORDERED 2 THE GUY THAT SOLD THEM TO ME AFTER I TOLD HIM IT WAS COUNTERFIT  FAKE STATED JUST TAKE THEM AND WAIT THEY WILL WORK.  I SAID I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS IN THE CAPS.  I HAVE USED THESE FOR YEARS AND KNOW THEY LOOKED NOTHING LIKE THE REAL STUFF.  EBAY WAS OF NO USE THE DIDN'T GIVE A S---T.  THEN THE GUY REPREMANDED ME FOR MY MESSAGES WHAT NERVE I CONTACTED FDA TO REPORT THEM I ALSO CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO TOLD ME THEY WERE FAKE.  THE GUY SAID HE REFUNDED MY MONEY WELL I CAN'T FIND THAT.  I AM DONE WITH EBAY FOR GOOD.  THEY SAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE BUT IT BULL **bleep**. THEY DID NOTHING AND PAYPAL DID NOTHING EITHER SO I AM OUT OVER 51.OO IT SEEMS EVERYONE IS OUT TO SCREW YOU.  I RATHER USE AMAZON.  U CAN ALWAYS RETURN THE STUFF.  AND THEY BACK WHAT THEY SELL

---

Ebay has a good MBG when you file an INAD.

If you open a case through Pay Pal, it'll close any Ebay case and they will no longer be any help.

[thepr-vwazu5t]

How sad that we cannot be sure our purchases are safe! Furthermore I agree that eBay should be more careful and stand behind their products as they project they do! I too and through with eBay. The seller stated that he refunded my money as well and he actually did. But that's beside the point I will not purchase anything on eBay again. Stay safe my friend 😊

[kh_nipun]

Hi everyone,

This discussion has gotten a bit off topic. Please bring the discussion back to subject established in the original post.

Thank you.

[krazzykats]

File a case within 30 days of item receipt for "item not as described."  INAD

Return an item for a refund | eBay

[kathiec]

---

@thepr-vwazu5t wrote:

How sad that we cannot be sure our purchases are safe! Furthermore I agree that eBay should be more careful and stand behind their products as they project they do! I too and through with eBay. The seller stated that he refunded my money as well and he actually did. But that's beside the point I will not purchase anything on eBay again. Stay safe my friend 😊

---

The problem is that it's not "their products". EBay sells nothing. It's a platform on which millions of individual sellers list items for sale. There's no possible way eBay can vet each of the nearly 2 billion listings on the site. All they can do is offer a Money Back Guarantee and remove sellers who have an excessive number of cases opened. And that's what they do.