Selling knock-off sneakers has become a lucrative business for those who can manufacture replicas that are almost indistinguishable from the real deal. The kicks don't cost that much to make and can turn a quick profit, especially when you're dealing with a popular brand like Nike.
However, as four people in China recently learned, there's a downside as well. The downside is: you get arrested.
According to a report by Shine, the suspects allegedly ordered several hundred pairs of authentic Nike sneakers, worth over $58,000, and then requested a refund while sending back fake versions of the same shoes. Once they had received the refund, they then took the authentic sneakers and sold them below market price through their own websites.
"The company sells the shoes on its online shop which allows refunds without questions within one week of the customers receive the products."
"By the time the company realized they were being defrauded they had already refunded the money, police said."
Shine reports that the suspects were running three online shops. Two of the suspects were arrested on November 28, and the others turned themselves in to police shortly thereafter.