Deceived by a Logo Resembling Maserati, Consumer Bids in Auction
Auction Company Issues Full Refund Amid Growing Controversy
In China, a man won an electric vehicle modeled after the Italian luxury car brand Maserati through an online auction platform. The consumer claimed he was deceived by a logo resembling Maserati's iconic trident and requested a refund. However, the auction company initially refused to issue a full refund, citing penalties and other fees. As controversy grew over alleged false advertising, the auction company eventually promised a full refund and deleted all auction listings for electric vehicles imitating luxury cars.
Comparison of Maserati-style electric vehicle for elderly (Laotouler) (left) and Maserati logo. Photo by Bongmyeon News
According to Bongmyeon News on September 9 (local time), Peng, a resident of Guangdong, won an electric vehicle featuring a trident logo similar to Maserati's on an online auction platform on September 6. The starting bid for the car was 166 yuan (approximately 32,300 won).
Peng stated, "I saw the logo and thought it was a Maserati electric car," adding, "I didn't pay much attention since there were also vehicles with starting bids under 100 yuan on the auction platform." He paid a deposit of 3,500 yuan (about 681,900 won) and placed only one bid. The next day, he learned that he had won the car for 19,966 yuan (about 3,889,800 won). Including the winning bid and various fees, Peng paid a total of 21,563 yuan (about 4.2 million won).
He expressed his frustration, saying, "I thought I had gotten a luxury car at a bargain price, but upon checking, it turned out to be a Maserati-style electric vehicle for the elderly (Laotouler)." He insisted, "It is clear that they deliberately imitated a luxury car brand to mislead consumers."
The news outlet reported, "This vehicle was registered under the name '2025 New Maserati New Energy Electric Low-Speed Vehicle,' and its exterior and emblem closely resembled Maserati's." However, in reality, it was not included in the national automobile registry, meaning it could not be issued a license plate or insured, and compensation would be difficult in the event of a traffic accident, as it was an electric vehicle for the elderly. In fact, the same model was found to be sold on online shopping sites for 19,900 yuan (about 3.88 million won).
Peng requested a refund, but the auction company responded that it could only refund the amount minus a 900 yuan (about 176,000 won) penalty and a 200 yuan (about 39,000 won) service fee.
However, as controversy over consumer deception intensified, the auction company eventually agreed to refund the entire deposit. In addition, not only the 'Maserati-style' vehicle but also another elderly electric car registered as a 'BMW-style' model had all of their auction listings deleted from the platform.
Experts commented on this case, stating, "Sellers have a duty to inform consumers of the facts," and "If a consumer participates in an auction under a mistaken belief, it constitutes a significant misunderstanding." Lin Xiaoming, a lawyer in Sichuan Province, China, explained, "A seller with a duty to disclose information failed to inform the consumer of the facts. Whether it is a significant misunderstanding or intentional fraud by the auctioneer, under civil law, the consumer has the right to request contract termination."
The use of a logo similar to Maserati's may also pose legal issues. The news outlet reported, "Unauthorized use of marks similar to registered trademarks, or using an appearance so similar that it causes confusion with a particular brand, is highly likely to violate trademark law and anti-unfair competition law."
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