This is Not a Money-Saver; This is Illegal

Jump to Comments

Thrifty folks like I am look for ways to get the products they like and use without spending too much in the process. That’s why places like Freecycle, Craigslist and eBay continue to exist. But I’m always amazed at the folks who give away or sell perishables on these lists–things like baby food or infant formula. As your mom may have said to you, “You don’t where that stuff’s been.”

Turns out that certain kinds of products for sale online are actually stolen goods. That’s why I’m dedicating today’s post to the following list, courtesy of the National Retail Federation (NRF), of common household items that you should never, ever buy via eBay or other online sites. Not only could it be dangerous–you don’t know the origins of the product or even if it’s the real deal–but it could also be illegal.

According to the NRF, organized retail crime investigators from a variety of the nation’s largest retailers have identified these items as the most popular health and beauty products stolen and resold by criminals:

• Abreva
• Advil
• Aleve
• Alli weight loss pills
• Benadryl
• Braun toothbrushes & replacement heads
• Bumble and Bumble
• Claritin
• Cover Girl cosmetics
• Crest Whitestrips
• diabetic testing strips
• e.p.t. pregnancy tests
• Gillette Fusion Razors and replacement cartridges
• Gillette MACH3, Venus and Sensor razors and refill cartridges
• Lotrimin
• Matrix
• Nicorette
• Oil of Olay
• Oral B replacement heads
• Pepcid AC
• Prilosec
• Primatene
• Pureology
• RoC
• Rogaine
• Similac
• Sudafed
• Schick Quattro razors and all Schick refill cartridges
• Sonicare replacement heads
• Tylenol Extra Strength
• Visine
• Zantac

NRF also added these items to the list:

• High-end liquor
• Cigarettes
• Red Bull energy drinks
• Blu-ray movies and player
• Braun electric razors
• Dyson vacuums

3 Comments

Filed under National Retail Federation