ALERT: Fake Romeo 5's. I discovered one!

[MagSlap]

I'm wanting to get this out there as fast as I can....

 

So...I came across some interweb stuff published a few days ago.

Fake Romeo 5's.

Really good fakes.

I just recently bought my THIRD Romeo 5. Its been sitting in the box unused waiting for a home.

Bought thru amazon. Seller CONNAT

 

So..I took a closer look at it....

 

The box is straight up OEM with the holographic seal.  (This isnt the 'brownbox' without the low riser)

Compared this latest one to the other two.

Ya...a few differences you can only see if you if look reeealy hard hard.

 

I even called Sig about this to ask if they had any reports of fakes.

I was rather sheepish about doing this. Fakes? Really? They'll just think I'm crazy...
We know manufacturers make slight changes. Its what I figured would be the response.

 

Sure enough...the CS guy (who was very cool!!) said they have been getting reports over the last few weeks and their lawyers are getting on it.

This is VERY RECENT, again...like only in the last few weeks.

I described the following differences.

The emitter is different. It looks covered with some material.

The logo doesnt have the same 'feel' to it.

The "Sig Sauer" Logo is lower.

The 'Romeo 5" logo runs parallel to the horizontal body line.

The finish is 'darker'  Only really observable if you hit it with a bright light.

 

Remember, I'm comparing to TWO other Romeo 5's.

Again, Sig CS confirmed I'm 'not crazy', and this is a new discovery. 

I even 'explicitly' asked, "Has Sig made any manufacturing changes that could account for these differences"

The answer? "No".

Romeo 5's made a couple of years ago should be 'exactly' the same as one you buy today.

 

He confirmed everything I described. These are evidently 'really good fakes'....

The CS I talked to said I was only the third person 'he' spoke to that reported this.

 

As I stated, sig has just discovered this themselves.

I was asked to send them pictures and specifically of the serial number under the mount.

I'll do that after I post this up... Maybe I'll post the pics here to show the differences.

 

I'm JUST inside my return window with amazon..and already requested a return.

My 'comment'? Basically, Its FAKE and Sig CS confirmed it.

 

 

 

[Bubbacs]

Great to hear you still have time to return. I was thinking of that while reading as was hoping you hadn't held on too long.

Shame about it being SIG too. But let's be real.

China buys their stuff from Amazon so that THEY can sell it to others because it's fake or knockoffs. 

Amazon has the largest amount of fakes in the universe. Imagine selling more fake crap than China! 

[Birddog38]

Don't support Bezos's amazon.

[MagSlap]

 

I got a UPS shipping label for the return... I'll be dropping it off this weekend.

 

So I finally took some pics, authored an email back to Sig as they requested with seller information and pictures.

I took a BUNCH..but will post the most relevent here. (They wanted pics of the red dot, box serial numbers...anything that can help.

Evidently, they are in the gathering of information phase right now.

I'm glad to help them!!

 

So first off..I bought this from the seller CONNAT. Fufilled by Amazon.

When went to click on the 'item I bought'..It links to a new seller PLUME CO fufilled by amazon.

Whether or not the sellers are 'in on it'..I can't say. I'm only mentioning the source (And new source) from which I got mine.

 

Again...I own two previous Romeo 5's. The second one I bought last winter.

They are both full retail boxed.  So I have two REAL samples to compare with this fake.

 

 

Side by side...

 

 

Note the COLOR.

The fake is BLACK while the real one is 'not so black'

The pics were taken with a flash to show the difference.

If you looked at both of them in an average lighted room, it really is difficult to tell the difference.

The included key, bikini cover, instructions manual, and lens cloth are dang spot on! Its unbelievable how well this was pulled off.

The Sig CS rep I spoke to also acknowledged the packaging. They already know how well its faked..even the holographic seal.

 

The LOGOS

The logo on the fake 'feels' different.

On the real sig you can 'feel' the logo. Its some kind of etch thru the finish.

Why do I think this? When I got my first one long ago, I tried to remove it with acetone because I wanted it 'blacked out'. (I've done this with another optic in the past). Nope didnt work...its etched.

The fake..is not etched. You can 'feel it'.

Plus observe the positioning of the logo.

"Sig Sauer" is lower and appears slightly smaller overall

"Romeo 5" follows the center edge of the body on the fake while the real R5 does not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The box.

They are spot on to the original in my opinion.

Right down to the material..the raised emblem/sticker on the top..and even the holographic seal.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the big giveaway in my opinion

The emitter.

The fake one has some kind of material covering it while the real does not and just looks 'clean'

 

 

 

The serial number...

While I didnt compare it to the real one, and its difficult to tell them apart, Sig wanted a pic of it to trace the number..or at least have it so they know its one of the fakes. 

 

 

Another hint is the rear ring. It is slightly larger than the real one.

 

 

 

There may be other things to discover...but I think these will be enough to spot a fake..

 

I Sent far more pictures then I'm posting here...

But I think these signs are enough to ring an alarm bell if you got one of these...

 

The signs I pointed out to Sig.....They agree'd and knew about everything I mentioned.

And evidently there are deeper more subtle things Sig is discovering as well...

So I was told they have only recently started gathering samples.  If they needed mine? I would have shipped it overnight at my cost to get it in their hands as fast as possible.

 

So...

If you bought one recently and think its a fake?...RETURN IT!

I made it with just 2 days left for my return window. I have the UPS label and will sending it back this weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

[BobPistol]

I hope Sig Sauer have some real sharks for layers.  

[Mike]

Maybe if they weren't having them made in China it wouldn't be so easy for the fakes to be made there.

[SiliconSorcerer]

On 9/9/2021 at 9:44 AM, Mike said:

Maybe if they weren't having them made in China it wouldn't be so easy for the fakes to be made there.

 

That's a novel thought. 

I told my wife if the designer handbag is a fraction of the cost and even better quality, way to go! 

 

[mikew]

To me it looks like the SIG SAUER is reproduced with a photographic process, a loss of sharpness, and a little spread causing less space between the letters.

[mikew]

I bet a real one has a serial number on the outside of the box.