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Thread: Finfolk knock-off alert August 2020

  1. #1

    Finfolk knock-off alert August 2020

    Shello everyone! I wanted to make a thread here for everyone to see in hopes of stopping another over seas art theft from happening. I live in the Wichita KS area, and there is a mermaid store here called "The mermaid boutique", and they are not only using knock off tails in store with their professional mermaids, also not just for childrens photo shoots, but they are also selling them straight up in their store, as well as that they can "custom order" you a tail and then sew lace on the tails and glitter bomb the things. A couple other mers sat down with me the other day and we were able to find the matching silicone tails for each knock off, except for one, and then we think the art theft just messed with the colors and pattern a bit with another one as it looks almost exactly like the other yellow tail. I went to confront the Boutique as well via a Facebook post of theirs they had put up recently, but within minutes of replying twice to my questions, they deleted the messages.

    If you, or someone you know lives in KS, or the Wichita KS area, and/or you have been following this small business on social media, please make sure you let people know not to buy or rent the tails. I do still think supporting the store is fine, just not the tails or anything else that may potentially be stolen artwork.

    Sites;
    https://www.mermaidict.com/

    https://www.facebook.com/TheEnchantedMermaidICT

    https://www.instagram.com/theenchantedmermaidict/


    The tails;
    https://prnt.sc/u6kzak & https://prnt.sc/u6kzw7 <- Thinking they messed with the colors on this one

    https://prnt.sc/u6kzgj

    https://prnt.sc/u6kzn8

    https://prnt.sc/u6l4ji <- Couldn't find the tail for this one

    https://prnt.sc/u6l087

    https://prnt.sc/u6l0ek

    https://prnt.sc/u6l0jg

    https://prnt.sc/u6l14o <- pardon the gross screen, this is my work tablet

    https://prnt.sc/u6l0pk <- Pardon the blurriness of this and the next picture

    https://prnt.sc/u6l0tp

    https://prnt.sc/u6l0y5 <- Again, pardon my gross work tablet, I work outside (The reason this was on my work tablet was because the messages got deleted and I thought my phone borked, so I logged in on the tablet, only to find the messages gone)

    I apologize if this is the incorrect place for this, I barely use the forums and I'm more than happy to move this to the correct place with some guidance

  2. #2
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    Yep, knock off tails from Finfolk.

    And, I wrote on their fb page. Lets see what they have to say.
    Formerly known as ireneho

  3. #3
    They took down your message sometime this morning.

    Anyone who posts on their social media, please screenshot your messages and post them here, they also took down my google review, and kept only the pictures they deemed good for their image

  4. #4
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    Oh snap! I didn't think to screenshot my message. You could try sending the fb and website links to Finfolk. They used their actual photos without permission.
    Formerly known as ireneho

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Mermaid Jaffa View Post
    Oh snap! I didn't think to screenshot my message. You could try sending the fb and website links to Finfolk. They used their actual photos without permission.


    I was the one who put the finfolk pictures up on the review page, and they now also deleted the older message directly on their FB page after I said something about it in the google review. They are being straight up shady and it's really bothering me

  6. #6
    Alright

    Anyone who posts on their social media, please please please screenshot it and put it here, and anyone who has had experiences with this shop please also post that here. I am going to start compiling as much as I can about what they're doing, and I'm going to post it all on social media (with y'alls permission of course, and I will be blurring out names and keeping information in pictures private so no one is harassed or anything over all of this)

  7. #7
    Wow. I knew that counterfeit computer parts were out there...I bought an HP brand USB flash drive for really cheap once. When it was delivered, I quickly noticed the quality was far less than what HP normally makes their products. Obvious fake.

    Usually these shady types would make counterfeits of items that are more in demand....like USB flash drives. I mean, I knew that cheap quality mermaid tails were out there on sites like Aliexpress, but did not know that some were being passed off as another brand name.

    Anyway, good luck in your battle against those shady sellers. I hope you at least put some unwanted pressure on them if you can't get them to shut down their operation.

    Sent from my SM-N950U using MerNetwork mobile app

  8. #8
    Just an update, I went ahead and emailed Finfolk the same day I started this thread, and I am really hoping that they're able to do something. I haven't heard back from them and I doubt I will, but I really hope to continue to put pressure on the boutique so that they can see that the mermaid community shouldn't be messed with, especially when children and unaware parents are the main target in all of this.

    If you message the boutique in any way, please remember to screen shot it and save it, and if you're comfortable doing so to post it here. They will 100% delete your message on their social media, or not message you back, but the more we message and question them, the more chances people will see it!

  9. #9
    Posting this here, one of the ex-workers at the boutique has commented on the FB post I made with information about the store and the owners. Turns out pretty much all of the artwork there is stolen, and they don't have insurance for their professional mers/princesses.

    https://prnt.sc/u943yn

  10. #10
    Just wondering, have you reported them to Facebook as well? I've seen many reviews and videos about Facebook being a scammer's paradise. Since there are so many user and group accounts, there is no way that they can all be weeded out unless people start reporting them.

  11. #11
    I don't know if Facebook will do anything is the problem, but I'll look into it and see what they do with business accounts and how I could go about reporting it

  12. #12
    I think there is a link on their page to report it. One or two reports might not cut it, but their hand will be forced if multiple people report the same thing against them.

    Sent from my SM-N950U using MerNetwork mobile app

  13. #13
    Update, they have just contacted me after leaving a review on their FB page

    https://prnt.sc/u9bycc

    If anyone has sent them messages directly to them via their website, please let me know, and if they did actually reply or not

  14. #14
    Good job. You are at least getting their attention. After seeing your attachment, I am left wondering how they can try to justify why the models for that store are wearing tails not sold in that store....unless they are confessing to a counterfeiting operation while pretending that they are a legitimate operation.

    So is their reply public on their page, or sent only to you? If it was a private message to you, you should post that screenshot on their page.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by K Swim View Post
    Good job. You are at least getting their attention. After seeing your attachment, I am left wondering how they can try to justify why the models for that store are wearing tails not sold in that store....unless they are confessing to a counterfeiting operation while pretending that they are a legitimate operation.

    So is their reply public on their page, or sent only to you? If it was a private message to you, you should post that screenshot on their page.

    It was a private message, and I replied back and haven't gotten a return since

    https://prnt.sc/u9cac8

    I don't think I'm going to post it to their page, I want to make sure as best as I can that I don't get blocked. If I can have eyes on their page, then I have an advantage in the situation, otherwise I'll have to rely on my partner to be my eyes on their page

  16. #16
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    It would only take one of them to get the request, to swim with the kids, before everything goes bad for the rest of us. Do they not realise the importance of it all?

    And, I just reported her page for intellectual property. Shame you can't choose more options to make the report.
    Formerly known as ireneho

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Mermaid Jaffa View Post
    It would only take one of them to get the request, to swim with the kids, before everything goes bad for the rest of us. Do they not realise the importance of it all?

    And, I just reported her page for intellectual property. Shame you can't choose more options to make the report.

    Right? I'm going to make a message on my instagram story requesting more people do the same and report them on FB. The more the better, just like K swim said

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Finnesota_Mermaid View Post
    It was a private message, and I replied back and haven't gotten a return since

    https://prnt.sc/u9cac8

    I don't think I'm going to post it to their page, I want to make sure as best as I can that I don't get blocked. If I can have eyes on their page, then I have an advantage in the situation, otherwise I'll have to rely on my partner to be my eyes on their page
    With a reply such as that, I will be interested to know what it is they could possibly reply back with....assuming they haven't blocked you already.

  19. #19
    What do you mean "get the request"? I'm not tracking.
    Quote Originally Posted by Mermaid Jaffa View Post
    It would only take one of them to get the request, to swim with the kids, before everything goes bad for the rest of us. Do they not realise the importance of it all?

    And, I just reported her page for intellectual property. Shame you can't choose more options to make the report.
    Sent from my LM-Q710.FG using MerNetwork mobile app

  20. #20
    At first i was really excited to see there was a mermaid boutique in the middle of kansas. It's fairly obvious they just want to ride the mermaid wave and not really do any of the work. I reported them on both my and my husband's profile.
    And a fins-up, as a henna artist, I'm exposed to so many designs i can't keep track but more often than not, they're picking a design from my book which has the artist's info, or asking me to do a design from their phone. But it's fair to say I'm inspired by numerous artists. Their henna artist needs more practice and she sure as heck better not be using "black" henna which is poison and another rant. Face paint and glitter is yet *another* rant.

    Sent from my LM-Q710.FG using MerNetwork mobile app

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