Shoppers say fake Fingerlings were sold through big sites

Shoppers rushing to find Fingerlings, the robotic monkeys that are a hot toy this holiday season, say they’ve been fooled into buying fakes through outside sellers on Amazon and Walmart.com.

The real Fingerlings, 6-inch multicolored monkeys, wrap around a finger, move, and make sounds. They usually cost about $15 but are sold out at many stores and websites. And counterfeiters have taken advantage of the shortage using the Amazon and Walmart.com platforms.

Keeping fake or objectionable merchandise off the sites’ third-party marketplaces is a long-standing issue, and toy sellers post warnings to beware of knockoffs, particularly with in-demand toys. In this case, though, the fraudsters have been quite successful: Postings for phony Fingerlings were on Amazon’s best-selling toys list several times in the last two weeks.

Shoppers say they don’t realize they bought knockoffs until they receive toys that don’t move or are poorly made. Counterfeit toys may also present safety issues, one expert says. And some people say they’ve had a hard time getting refunds from the sellers.

“I can’t give this to my grandkid,” says Amy Stepp, who paid $17 on Amazon for what she thought was a real Fingerlings toy.

What she got was a bright pink monkey that didn’t move at all. Instead, it lit up, which the real one doesn’t do. Stepp, who lives in Holden, La., says the box looked like it had been opened and taped back together again. When she told the seller she wanted to return it, she was told it may a take long time and was offered $10 back. Amazon gave Stepp a full refund after The Associated Press asked about her order, and the company says it will refund those who bought counterfeits if they contact Amazon customer support. Typically, refunds and returns are handled by the seller.

“Amazon does not tolerate fraud and counterfeit,” the company says, adding that it works to improve the way it detects and prevents fakes “from reaching our marketplace.”