Think You Can Spot a Counterfeit Product? – Probably not.

Website photos help consumers identify counterfeit products

August 12, 2013,  Los Angeles, CA – Price and quality were usually the indication that Rolex Watches and Coach Handbags from street vendors were counterfeit. But now, serious problems await unsuspecting consumers, not just with counterfeit pharmaceuticals, but everyday products that are widely distributed over internet websites, including web giants Amazon and eBay. And, the counterfeit product industry is big, very big -- expected to top $1.5 Trillion globally by 2015. 

Consumers are facing a new challenge; an epidemic of counterfeit goods from internet retailers and auction websites.  Global web giants including Amazon, eBay and Craig's List feature listings that convey credibility of the seller, and can lead the consumer into mistakenly believing the product featured is genuine or authentic. It is not unusual that buyers are deceived into unknowingly purchasing counterfeit products. The products may end up as gifts, often go unidentified, or are discovered only after the seller has vanished.   

Consumers shopping for "a good internet deal" are regularly deceived by website listings displaying a manufacturer's (stock) photos of authentic everyday products; fragrances, phone chargers, sporting goods, batteries and much, much more. However, what consumers often receive is an expertly crafted counterfeit, specifically designed, manufactured and packaged to deceive them – and they are.  

Think you can spot a fake? "Probably not" says The Counterfeit Report website (www.theCounterfeitReport.com) founder Craig Crosby. "If it's manufactured, it's probably been counterfeited and will likely fool you." The Counterfeit Report website features over 200 global brands and a wide array of counterfeit product including hundreds of photos to educate and help consumers identify the fakes. 

While there are a few Rolex watches and designer handbags on the website, most of the featured items are products consumers wouldn't expect are counterfeited or recognize the danger of the counterfeited product. "Poor quality, deceptive and often unusable counterfeit products are not the only hazard consumers are facing -- consumers are dying from counterfeit products and pharmaceuticals" says Crosby.  For instance, 23-year-old Ma Ailun, collapsed to the floor and died from electrocution while answering a call on her charging iPhone 5. A counterfeit iPhone charger is suspect in the tragic death of the young flight-attendant and bride-to-be. In the same week, a 30-year-old Wu Jian Tong, fell into a coma in China after being electrocuted by a charging iPhone.

Could you identify these counterfeit products? (all are fake)

(photo credit: The Counterfeit Report)  photo link

1. While the Gillette packaging and razor blades may look authentic, counterfeit razor blades are hugely popular items with online counterfeit retailers. In just one week, Gillette reported seizing over 400,000 razors and 100,000 razor blades destined for unsuspecting consumers.
   
   
2. Counterfeit fragrance users would be alarmed at the testing results from Harper's Bazaar Magazine, which found counterfeit ingredients included urine, bacteria and antifreeze. These ingredients are going on consumer's faces and skin, and result in rashes, sickness and infection.
   
   
3. Well known Novartis Lamisil with its trademarked branding is easily recognizable, but this   counterfeit product is available on Amazon. It is not a Novartis product, nor is it available in the Lamisil product line – it is a fake.
   
   
4. This well-known iconic Swiss Army knife may have 44 implements, but it is a poor quality counterfeit available from China counterfeiters for just a fraction of the authentic products price. Counterfeit items are often are listed on eBay and sold to unsuspecting buyers as "100% authentic" or "genuine."
   
   
5. Counterfeit iPhone chargers displaying the "Apple" trademarked branding and a counterfeit Underwriters Labs (UL) Mark will deceive consumers into believing they are receiving authentic, safe products. In this case, "fake can be fatal" says Crosby.
   
   

Counterfeiting is a global criminal enterprise; the criminals avoid taxes, destroy an estimated 750,000 US jobs, and cost US businesses over $250 Billion annually. Illegal counterfeiting activity is profitable, difficult to track and widely un-punished. While consumer awareness is only part of the global solution, counterfeited products are now very deceptive, and consumers often unknowingly purchase hazardous or deadly products. Many counterfeit products are identified when the products are returned to the manufacturer for warranty or repairs, leaving the consumer out their investment and without a product. "It's the consumer who ultimately gets hurt. We're here because counterfeiting is wrong” concluded Crosby.


Website: www.theCounterfeitReport.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Counterfeit-Report/131568053660579
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