Thousands of pounds worth of fake poppies are being sold by online fraudsters who are pocketing 100 per cent of donations, it has been revealed.
Pin badges and brooches were on sale with descriptions saying ‘Lest We Forget’ and ‘Remembrance Day Red Poppy’.
One of the fake sites says it sells ‘suitable for Remembrance Day activities, soldiers, memorials, veterans…to honour the lives and memories of fallen soldiers’.
However, following an investigation by the Daily Express, it has been revealed that fraudsters are taking all the money donated from the counterfeit Remembrance Day merchandise.
Hundreds of items were listed for sale for prices between £3 and £5 on sites such as eBay, with one auction being tagged as ‘trending’.
One of the fake sites says it sells ‘suitable for Remembrance Day activities, soldiers, memorials, veterans…to honour the lives and memories of fallen soldiers’
Pin badges and brooches were on sale with descriptions saying ‘Lest We Forget’ and ‘Remembrance Day Red Poppy’
Hundreds of items were listed for sale for prices between £3 and £5 on sites such as eBay , with one auction being tagged as ‘trending’
One of the fake sites says it sells ‘suitable for Remembrance Day activities, soldiers, memorials, veterans…to honour the lives and memories of fallen soldiers’
Shadow Secretary of State for Defense James Cartlidge described the scam as ‘disgusting’ and slammed fraudsters for ‘exploiting’ Remembrance Day.
The investigation revealed that Border Force seized counterfeit poppies worth £25,500 last year.
In 2017, there was £150,000 worth of fake poppy merchandise seized at UK ports, including 1,212 scarves, 5,400 badges and 1,200 key rings.
Former MP and Royal Green Jackets Captain Tobias Ellwood called the fake poppy auctions as ‘sick and disturbing’.
He went on to urge eBay to investigate and close down any auctions profiteering of the Royal British Legion (RBL) brand.
When approached, one seller shipping to the UK from China where not able to confirm if proceedings went to RBL. While other Chinese sellers did not respond to claims made by the investigation.
The RBL has urged anyone looking to honour fallen soldiers to go their website to donate or visit legitimate poppy sellers who will take to the streets until November 11.
There is also a legitimate RBL page on eBay, called The Royal British Legion eBay Shop.
The RBL has urged anyone looking to honour fallen soldiers to go their website to donate or visit legitimate poppy sellers who will take to the streets until November 11
Every purchase through the RBL goes to charity, helping members or former members of the Armed Forces Community including those in the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force as well as the British Army.
An eBay spokesperson said: ‘Buyers who wish to support the Royal British Legion on eBay, should do so from its official store, to ensure that 100% of the proceeds go to the charity.
‘eBay works with the Royal British Legion as part of our Verified Rights Owner Programme (VeRO), which gives intellectual property owners like the Royal British Legion an easy way to report and remove listings that infringe on their rights.’
An Intellectual Property Office Spokesperson said: ‘We are able to confirm that the Royal British Legion have registered trade marks for variations of the petal poppy. This means that they may choose to take legal action against anyone they believe to be infringing these trade marks.
‘We publish guidance for business and consumers on what to do where they believe any type of counterfeit goods are being offered for sale.
‘This includes guidance on e-commerce platforms, and how people can report goods they believe may be counterfeit being offered for sale on these’.
MailOnline has approached Royal British Legion for comment.
Why we wear poppies on remembrance day
Poppies are a common sight leading up to remembrance day (November 11), which commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies and Germany in 1919, ending the First World War.
During the conflict, poppies were a common sight, especially on the Western Front, the western side of territory under the control of Germany and one of the main theatres of war.
Poppies flourished in the soil churned up by the fighting and shelling and were sent home by soldiers in letters to their loved ones.
Poppies in Flanders Fields, a major battle theatre on the Western Front during the First World War
Artificial poppies were first sold in Britain in 1921 to raise money for the Earl Haig Fund in support of ex-servicemen and the families of those who had died.
They were supplied by French humanitarian Anna Guérin, who had been manufacturing the flowers in France to raise money for war orphans.
Selling poppies proved so popular that in 1922 the British Legion founded a factory staffed by disabled ex-servicemen to produce its own – a tradition that continues to this day.
