Whether it’s adulterated medicine that can kill, bogus batteries that can burn or wannabe Guccis that simply wear out fast (though they may look stylish for a while), counterfeit merchandise is almost impossible to avoid.
Among the phonies are some typical suspects: handbags, clothes, watches and amusingly renamed colognes such as Essey Miyami instead of Issey Miyake. But there are also surprising fakes, including golf balls, oil filters and baby formula. With some, the low price is a giveaway, such as a $2,000 Prada purse for $35. Others are priced close to retail to fool shoppers.
Vendors still peddle fakes on city streets, flea markets, salons, swap meets, college campuses, libraries and “purse parties” in private homes, at which a dealer shows merchandise.
The easiest way to avoid counterfeits is to deal with reputable retailers authorized to sell a manufacturer’s products. Be suspicious of third-party Web sites that offer deep discounts for products that are usually pricey.
Here are some other tips to avoid counterfeits:
• Think twice before buying at deep-discount and dollar stores, which have sold fake handbags, holiday lights, extension cords, toothpaste and batteries.
• Avoid no-name products. A manufacturer’s name and address lets people contact the company to try to remedy problems.
• Don’t buy if the seller won’t provide a receipt or if warranty data is missing.
• Missing or expired “use by” dates, broken or missing safety seals, misspellings or unfamiliar or flimsy packaging for big-name brands should send up a warning flag.
• For electrical goods, look for the UL safety mark. A silver holographic seal is required on decorative lighting made worldwide and on fans, other lighting and similar products made in China.
• Shoppers who suspect that they purchased a counterfeit product should contact the manufacturer.
