Online sales fuel 'black market'

ONLINE bargain hunters could be fuelling a black market in stolen and counterfeit goods, according to research.

Two out of five internet shoppers (40 per cent) said they were more interested in value for money than where an item came from.

But failing to check the background of independent online auctioneers or to ensure the item was genuine could encourage more thieves to fence their items on the web, LV> home insurance said.

A survey of more than 2,300 UK adults carried out by Opinium Research in November found one in 12 shoppers has fallen victim to criminals selling stolen or counterfeit goods.