Counterfeit Lamy Safari

So I just realized, accidentally, that my Lamy Safari is not a Lamy Safari. It is apparently one of many counterfeits floating around on eBay and Amazon. I thought that the EF nib wrote awfully fat. Not sure exactly how I came across it but I found a page that describes all the known attributes of the counterfeit and sure enough.

Of course, I'm past my Amazon return window. Any ideas what I should do with it? It don't write too bad, just more a M than an EF. And Lamy nibs apparently won't fit on it.

Uh oh. As a pen newb that worries me because when I go to buy pens I don't have the trained eye yet to see if something is fake or not. Since the pen is past its return window, I'd say just keep it. To me it would be kind of a neat, off-the-wall conversation piece when I'm telling someone about my collection. Sort of like a "Doh!" moment in hindsight that I laugh about afterwards. Just my two cents.

It's obviously not the HERO clone, those are a hoot, since you would have noticed that right away. Well, you're probably not the only one who got taken.

What are the noticeable differences?

I would have thought the Lamy Safari was low cost enough that there would not be a good enough margin to make counterfeiting worth while. If the pen is usable, keep it and use it.

These types of experiences are what keep me away from eBay and the like. I have no issues with online but I'm too chicken to stray away from trusted sources like Goulet etc.

I would contact amazon anyway, even if you are past, at least let them know a seller (If it isnt them) is selling fakes

I agree with syngent.
If it was fulfilled by Amazon or sold by Amazon they will want to know about it being a knock off....They can get in a lot of trouble with the Feds for it. So reach out, you never know....they may take pity and give you a real one anyways.

Picture of yours??
No pics, doesn't exist lol.
Plus for tg benefit of the noobs....

I can't believe it would be worth anybody's time to counterfeit a safari! Definitely contact Amazon. They seem like a company that would take care of you

It would be really helpful if you could post some pictures...if not for anything else, but to help others avoid the same pitfall you experienced.

Alejandro Salemandro said:

I can't believe it would be worth anybody's time to counterfeit a safari! Definitely contact Amazon. They seem like a company that would take care of you

Click to expand...

If LAMY can produce the pen and make money doing so, somebody who is able to produce a knock-off for even less money stands to line their pockets.

stoof2010 said:

Picture of yours??
No pics, doesn't exist lol.
Plus for tg benefit of the noobs....

Click to expand...

Jut said:

It would be really helpful if you could post some pictures...if not for anything else, but to help others avoid the same pitfall you experienced.

Click to expand...

Do you have a charcoal Safari? It looks exactly like that. I'll try to get some pictures up when I get a chance.

The only clues that I had was that the EF nib writes more like a Fat F or a M and that the pen wasn't clipped to the card on the inside of the box, it was in a plastic bag inside the box. The other things to look for are the cardboard spacer that I've already thrown away (should have printing on the inside and outside, not just the outside), and the nib should be inky from testing (I didn't notice before I inked it up).

unless it was a return for them and someone flushed it before sending back. BTW what pen are you compairing the EF lines to ? if its a japanese pen a German EF would be a much thicker line then a japanese EF.

I'm comparing the line to a really fine preppy ef and a twsbi mini ef. The line is quite fatter than either of these. I'll try to find the page that describes all the clues and post a link when I get a chance.

Here is a good place to start if you're curious. http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/10263-Fake-Lamy-Safaris-on-eBay

I just sent a short email to Amazon to let them know I received a fake. I'll report back with their reply.

People counterfeit pennies and nickels. The smallest, most worthless things are the most valuable to fake. People don't bother checking for them, if they find them they mark it off as a lesson learned, and you can move mass quantities before anyone catches on.

Does it look like this perhaps?

LOL! No. Are those even Lamys? My ink window lined up perfectly.

Even though it was past my return window, Amazon responded with a full refund and told me to keep the fake.

Both the preppy and twsbi are going to be steady one grade finer than a German lamy pen you saying the thickness is the only way you are telling if it is fake is kinda sketchy. Buy a lamy nib and see if it interchanges. Have you used any pens beside the twsbi or the preppy?

No, it isn't the only way I know, it just hinted to me of the possibility. That and the knowledge that they are being sold on Amazon and the probability that I got one since I paid the lowest price listed.

The only packaging I have left is the box and the clear plastic sleeve that the pen was wrapped in inside the box. The thing that convinced me that it was definitely a fake was the fact that the pen arrived in a plastic sleeve in the box instead of clipped to the inside card like it is supposed to be. That is apparently a sure sign that it is counterfeit.