First off, make sure the design itself is real. I've seen LV bags with smiley faces on the cherries, and obviously those are fake. Even if it's priced at $500 or $600, it could be fake too. It's a thin line between being a highly expensive knockoff and a real steal of an authentic bag, but there usually is still a few hundred dollars in difference. Most of these authentic bags are at least $900, even when buying it online.

If the quality can even be questioned a single bit, it could very well be fake too. These bags are handcrafted by incredibly meticulous, skilled people, hence the expensive price tag.

I'd recommend finding a good, clear picture of the same bag you're looking for from an authorized dealer, with your best bet from www.louisvuitton.com, or other authorized online sites such as www.yoox.com or www.eluxury.com and compare EVERYTHING - the buckles, the size of them, the color, the material, down to where each monogram is placed - and especially, if you can, the color of the cloth lining on the inside - often times, fakes will have a different color inside than the real ones. Often times it is best to take it to a retail Louis Vuitton, because they can tell you if it's real or not.