The ever-dreaded fake designer handbag, more nicely referred to as a ‘replica’, is often a purse that many women do not want to be caught carrying. On the other hand, many of us can not afford designer handbags, and are perfectly content to own one that is similar to the real deal. However, even the women who proudly tote the replica Louis Vuitton or Marc Jacobs hand bag do not want onlookers to be able to tell if it is real or fake! Below are a few tricks to be able to spot if a hand bag is real or fake.

One of the easiest ways to tell if a handbag is real or fake is by the price. You will be very hard pressed to find a genuine Louis Vuitton handbag for one hundred and fifty dollars. Designer hand bags by such designers such Prada, Gucci, or Vuitton, you should expect to pay at least four hundred dollars or more. Certain bags made by these designers cost into the thousands.

Another good indicator of a real or fake designer handbag is the packaging. Counterfeit purses are often purchased without those protective bags, tissues, or boxes surrounding them. True designer bags are generally sold in gorgeous wrapping. Also, many designers will set their special bags in a plastic cover that is not to be removed until the bag is ready to be worn. If your bag does not come with such a cover, be wary of its actuality. Both of these tactics will be hard to do if the bag is not yours, and you have no way of seeing how much was spent on it or if it came beautifully packaged. If you are trying to spot fake purses on other people, there are other clues we can look for.

Checking to see what kind of label the bag has is a good way to be able to tell if it is a fraud. True designer leather bags generally have the designer label on the inside. Right along with the label is the tag indicating where it was made. Most designer bags are made in Italy or France. If you see a "made in China" label you can bet that Gucci handbag is not the real deal.

Another way to tell if your designer purse is a fake is by looking at the purse for anything different. For example, if any of the letters, monograms, or numbers emblazoned on the bag are slightly different at all, then you can bet it is a replica. For example, if you are looking at a Coach bag that bears the signature "C" all over it, you will know it is not genuine if the "C’s" are misaligned, or if the pattern of the "C’s" do not match up where there are pockets or folds. You should not have paid into the hundreds for your Coach purse if the patterns are crooked and the stitching is wrong. This is not only true for Coach bags, but all designer handbags. If the stitching and the seams are sloppy then you can bet that the handiwork on this bag is not real.

Certain handbags, especially the more pricey ones, will have a serial number attached inside. If you have purchased your handbag from a particular designer in the past and you know it to always carry a serial number, then you should look for that every time you purchase a bag from that label. Other indicates are the ‘painting’ or printing of the label instead of stamping. Many bags will have their names stamped into the leather, or the body of the handbag, or sometimes stamped into the metal hardware of the handbag as well. Often times, replicas will merely print the name onto the material. If you look closely enough and actually feel the name, you should be able to determine whether it is stamped into the material or just sits on its surface. Knock-off bag companies do not spend the extra money required to stamp each name into the replicas.

Another way to tell a replica from a designer bag is by looking at the hardware itself. Check to see if the bag matches. In other words, check if your purse has a brass handle and an off-gold-tone closure. Your hardware should also be in pristine condition, and free from any scratches, dents or scrapes. If you bought the bag yourself, chances are you know from whom you purchased the bag from, and if they were a reputable dealer. If it was a gift, however, and you have no way of knowing where the bag was sold, be sure to inspect the hardware for signs of wear and tear.

Sometimes, designers will include an authenticity card in with their bag. It will generally be found inside the handbag itself when first opened from the package. Most often, it is found in a zipper enclosure inside the bag. Inquire from the designer’s representative whether that bag is to have an authenticity card, and if so, make sure yours is included.