Counterfeit Products Consumers Wouldn't Suspect

Photos aid consumer identification of fakes

September 30, 2013, Los Angeles, CA – Savvy consumers know to avoid online pharmacies, cheap handbags and fake watches -- no one likes to be fooled by fake or dangerous products. However, many consumers unknowingly use or receive counterfeit products daily.

Could you identify these counterfeit products? They are all counterfeit products.

(photo credit: TheCounterfeitReport.com ) photo link

Shown: (clockwise) Vans Canvas Shoe, Novartis Lamisil, Gillette Mach 3 Razor Blades, Head Radical Series Racquet, Otterbox Defender Cell Phone Case, Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfume, Bear Grylls Ultimate Hunting Knife, iPhone USB Charger, Montblanc Meisterstuck Pen, Streamlight TLR-2 Weapon Light/Laser.

Price and quality were usually an indication that products were counterfeit, and most consumers still believe they can identify a fake. "That is simply not true" says Craig Crosby, publisher of The Counterfeit Report website (TheCounterfeitReport.com). "Consumers looking for a bargain are handing over good money for bad products at prices near retail believing they are purchasing the real thing."

Think you can spot a counterfeit? "Probably not" says Crosby who reviews hundreds of counterfeit products. "Serious problems and hazards await unsuspecting consumers who unknowingly use counterfeit products every day that are widely distributed over internet websites, auction websites like eBay and swap meets." And, the counterfeit product industry is big, very big -- expected to top $1.5 Trillion globally by 2015.

The Counterfeit Report website features over 200 global brands and a wide array of counterfeit products including hundreds of product photos to educate and help consumers visually identify the fakes. "If it's manufactured, it's probably been counterfeited and will likely fool you." says Crosby.

There is an internet avalanche of counterfeit goods from internet retailers and auction websites that look authentic, but are poor quality or unsafe. Global giants eBay and Amazon feature listings that convey an illusion of seller credibility, and can lead the consumer into mistakenly believing the product featured is genuine or authentic.

The sales technique is the same and simple; consumers shopping for "a good internet deal" see website listings displaying the manufacturer's (stock) advertising product photo of authentic everyday products; fragrances, phone chargers, sporting goods, batteries and much, much more. However, what the consumer often receives is an expertly crafted counterfeit; specifically designed, manufactured and packaged to deceive them – and they are.

Buyers usually give the seller favorable feedback simply because the product arrives quickly, looks authentic and they believe it is. The products may end up as gifts, often go unidentified for a period of time, or are discovered only after the seller has vanished. Many counterfeit products are identified later when the products fail and are returned to the manufacturer for warranty or repairs, leaving the consumer out their investment, without a product and unable to change the feedback to protect the next unsuspecting buyer.

Counterfeit products are also substituted for locally purchased authentic products and returned to retailers for a refund. The barcodes scan correctly, and when accompanied by a receipt, may go un-noticed by untrained sales staff. The undetected counterfeit is returned to store inventory and sold to an unsuspecting consumer. Crosby presents counterfeit products to retail staffers who are often astonished at the appearance and visual quality of many counterfeit items, yet retailers usually note the quality differences.

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. "It's the consumer who ultimately gets hurt" concluded Crosby.

The Counterfeit Report® is the first and only website to provide consumers a free and informative visual guide to detecting counterfeit products, while providing manufacturers with brand protection and direct consumer education. The Counterfeit Report uses photos to show consumers the sophistication of counterfeiters and their ability to create visually identical counterfeit products and packaging of products they would never suspect are counterfeited. Consumers can report seeing or purchasing counterfeit products directly to the manufacturer on the website, while manufacturers have an immediate resource to list and update their counterfeit product information in a central venue for the greatest audience exposure.

Website: www.theCounterfeitReport.com

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