Photographer: WMAR
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 11/09/2011
BALTIMORE - After that big win over the Steelers, everybody's back on board with the Ravens. And if you're going to root for the purple and black, you've got to have a jersey. But the Better Business Bureau is warning about a website that sells them that you might want to avoid.
The website, officialravensshop.com claims to sell authentic Ravens jerseys, but the BBB is calling them into question, saying there are a lot of red flags on their site. The biggest warning sign, according to CEO Angie Barnett, is the BBB logo on the bottom of their page.
According to Barnett, the website is not an accredited business. As a result, the BBB is working to shut down the site because of what they call deceptive advertising.
The BBB also thinks there are other red flags that should make customers wary about the site. The website lists no phone or address you can use if you have a problem. The wording on the website is in broken English and is registered to a Chinese company. Barnett believes they're selling potentially counterfeit jerseys and using legitimate names to help them do it, “You have concern about a website that's using BBB logo. It's using the good name of the NFL and the Ravens and it's illegal good they're trying to sell to a consumer."
If you're trying to figure out if a jersey is a knock off, you should examine the stitching and whether the logos are sewn on or glued on. The quality of the fabric is also a tell-tale sign of whether it’s worth your money.
And since you can't do a full check online, before you buy, you should find out who owns the website and make sure they list contact information. If the site uses the BBB logo, Barnett says you should hover over it. If you can't click it and see their BBB business review, the logo is being used fraudulently.
We contacted the website for comment but did not hear back.
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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