Website Helps Consumers Identify Counterfeit Products

Consumers get help in fake product detection

Los Angeles, CA, February 12, 2014  – Savvy consumers know to avoid online pharmacies, cheap handbags and fake watches -- no one likes to be fooled by fakes or dangerous products. However, many consumers unknowingly use or receive counterfeit every day.

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 popular consumer protection website The Counterfeit Report (TheCounterfeitReport.com).

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 including eBay and Amazon. And, the counterfeit product industry is big, very big -- expected to top $1.5 Trillion globally by 2015.  "Consumers looking for a bargain are handing over good money for bad products at prices near retail believing they are purchasing the real thing." Counterfeit product purchases can be dangerous or even fatal.  

The Counterfeit Report website features over 200 global brands and a wide array of counterfeit products and thousands 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.  The internet offers an avalanche of counterfeit goods from 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. But, that trust is misplaced; many products are not.  

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

Counterfeit products are also substituted for locally purchased authentic products and returned to local retailers for a refund. The barcodes scan correctly, and when accompanied by a receipt, usually go unnoticed by untrained sales staff. The undetected counterfeit is returned to store inventory and sold to an unsuspecting consumer.

Consumer awareness is only part of the global solution offered by The Counterfeit Report website. “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.

Website: www.theCounterfeitReport.com

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