Posted on September 9, 2020 by Behnam Rugs

Recently, a couple brought a new rug in for a complimentary verbal appraisal. The customer’s mother had bought the rug at an antique shop on impulse while shopping in New York City. The shop owner had supposedly purchased the rug at auction and the rug was labeled as a real silk Persian Tabriz. Persian Tabriz rugs are quite well-made and sought after by Persian rug lovers and collectors.

There was just one problem- our rug experts were immediately able to tell that the rug was NOT real silk! And to add insult to injury, the rug wasn’t even handmade! Now, we’ll never know if it was the auction or the antique shop that labeled a fake rug as a handmade silk Persian rug, but we do know that it is not a good idea to buy rugs from either of these types of places. This is not even the first time we’ve seen a fake silk rug sold as a real masterpiece for thousands of dollars!

In fact, we even held an event at our showroom last October where we explained all the risks for fraud when it comes to buying a rug. Since we are still receiving customers bringing rugs for appraisal only to find out that they have been scammed, we decided to share some of the information from our past event, as well as to share what your options are if you buy a fake rug under the impression that it is real and valuable. Sadly, most fake silk and fake Persian rugs are worth only a fraction of what the customer paid for. Make sure to do adequate research before shopping for a rug.

Auctions often prove to be an irresistible trap for lovers of luxury goods. The problem is, it is easy for auctions to falsify information about their wares. If you bid on high-value items, you need to substantiate their authenticity before paying. Deals that sound too good to be true often are. You should also research the legitimacy of the auction before attending, as well as the true value of the items being auctioned off. If you do decide to attend an auction, here are a few red flags to watch out for:

1. There are not many people in attendance– A legitimate auction will attract many dealers looking for items they can sell. An auction in which you are not surrounded by dealers may indicate the auction is a trap for unsuspecting buyers.
2. It’s in a hotel or other temporary rented venue– When auctions are held at temporary venues, there is usually no way to get in touch after the auction has packed up and left. It’s a lot easier to con people when you are able to pack up your wares and move to the next town before they can ask for a refund.
3. Appraisals and tag prices are much higher than the amount of the winning bid.
4. The auctioneer has complaints against them (You can find this out by contacting the Better Business Bureau).

In the past, we have helped a few auction rug buyers to recover their money. The Dallas Business Bureau and the Dallas Police Department were notified. However, when the auction is over, they often disappear and no trace of these criminals remains.

When it comes to antique dealers, here are a few things to watch out for:

1. Do not buy an “antique” rug if the seller has more than one of the rug. Handmade rugs are generally unique pieces, especially if they are antique.
2. No certificate of authenticity/the dealer is unwilling to guarantee authenticity in writing (make sure you can get a refund from the dealer if you find out the rug is fake).
3. Find out if they carry reproductions. They should be clearly labeled. If they aren’t, you may walk away with a reproduction of little value.

If you do end up buying a rug at auction from an antique shop and find out the rug is a fake, your best hope is to call your credit card company to either cancel (if you do it soon enough) or dispute the charge. You can also try contacting the place you bought it from, but they often won’t honor returns and claim it was a final sale. If you bought it at auction, it may be difficult to even get in contact with them at all!

If you are considering buying a rug at auction or from liquidators, you should only buy from reputable places that you have performed due diligence in researching. Even then, there is no guarantee you won’t be scammed. That is why we recommend you buy rugs from trusted rug dealers, who offer returns and guarantees of authenticity.

At Behnam Rugs, we offer free verbal appraisals and evaluations. For more information about handmade rugs, and to learn the more about the difference between real and fake Persian rugs, click here.