SCAMS INFO

With the popularity of sports jerseys growing dramatically over the past decade, so have the number of fake or counterfeit jerseys being offered as authentic. Unfortunately, counterfeit jerseys are big business. It is estimated that tens of millions of dollars are lost each year to counterfeiters. Legitimate sales are lost, producer’s royalties are unpaid, and the sports fans get inferior quality merchandise - everybody loses!

Many scam artists set up shop and peddle their fake merchandise at sporting events and temporary locations. The sales pitch usually starts with a bargain price. This is usually the hook that is used to lure the prospective buyer into a high-pressure sales pitch.

The vendor may tell you that the reason for the bargain price is that they received a great deal on overstocked merchandise, or they were lucky enough to buy out the stock of a going-out-of-business retailer. And of course, this all comes with a “guarantee” that the sports jersey is the real thing. Don’t buy it!

Most likely these sports jerseys are knock-offs (unauthorized copies) shipped in from overseas. These fakes usually come with poor quality materials and inferior manufacturing processes. Bad stitching, faded colors, off-sizes, and all-around cheap appearance are common characteristics of the counterfeit jersey.

These same unscrupulous vendors have gone high tech by selling their fake merchandise on the internet. If you want to try your hand at buying that favorite sports jersey at one of the online auctions - think again! It is estimated that up to 95% of the Mitchell & Ness throwback jerseys sold on eBay are counterfeits.

Law enforcement agencies are starting to police these fake sports jerseys and the vendors that sell them. The counterfeit jerseys are being confiscated and the vendors arrested. Selling or manufacturing counterfeit jerseys is a very serious crime. Penalties for a first offense are a fine of up to $2 million and 10 years in prison. A second offense virtually doubles these penalties.

Despite these efforts, there is still a huge black market for the counterfeit jerseys. The policing agencies are just not staffed up to stop the large inflow of these fake jerseys coming in from overseas. So, your best advice is - Buyer Beware!

Follow these 6 tips and you can be assured that your next purchase will be the “real deal” - an authorized, high-quality official sports jersey:

* Be suspicious of prices too good to be true - they usually are.

* Don’t buy your jersey from a street vendor - authorized dealers rarely market authentic sport jerseys in stadium parking lots or on street corners.

* Look at the jersey carefully. Fakes usually have poor stitching and faded (or wrong) team colors.

* Believe it or not, check the spelling of the name of the team or player. Fakes often have misspellings. Think about it - a name like R-o-e-t-h-l-i-s-b-e-r-g-e-r just isn’t that easy to get right.

* Look for the official sport logo - NHL, NFL, MLB, NBA, etc. Most official jerseys display the league logo in the form of a hologram.

* Official jerseys display the name of the licensed manufacturer and a trademark — this is a must.

Remember - if the “deal” sounds too good, it probably is! Smart sports fans, like you, make their sports jersey purchases from reputable, licensed merchants and take pride in knowing that they are wearing the REAL DEAL!

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Recent concerns about U.S. port control have been focusing on the possibility that American ports will be used as a conduit for terrorists to attack America. What many people do not realize is that only about 5% of all containers going through our port system have their contents inspected by authorities. That means a full 95% of the containers never receive a visual inspection, although many do get electronically scanned. Still, it is the naked eye which can detect and determine if something in a container isn’t quite right. As far as auto parts go, a visual inspection is necessary; unfortunately many fake parts do get through. A global epidemic is in progress and it has little to do with terrorists and everything to do with counterfeit auto parts. Let’s take a look at the counterfeit parts “industry” and how you can avoid getting taken.

Yes, it is an industry…the counterfeit auto parts “business” that is. Every year billions of dollars worth of fake auto parts are produced worldwide and circulated to unsuspecting consumers. In some countries the problem is completely out of hand resulting in injury, even death, to drivers and their passengers. Among the parts frequently counterfeited are:

Camshafts

Rocker arms

Antifreeze

Transmission fluids

Bearings

Belts

Distributor caps

Valves

Alternators

Brake pads

Air conditioner condensers

Shocks and struts

Oxygen sensors

Spark plugs…

…the list goes on and on and on…

So, how can you spot a fake auto part? A visual inspection of the product is very important. Look at the part and feel it. If it seems or looks different from the part that it is replacing, then that can be a sure sign that it is a counterfeit. In addition, check the packaging carefully: odd shaped or odd fitting packaging, mismatched logos, typos, anything out of the ordinary should raise a red flag to you.

If you believe a part is fake contact the retailer and let them know that you suspect that they sold a counterfeit part to you. Don’t accuse the retailer of knowingly doing something wrong; any decent retailer will quickly remedy the situation as it is their reputation that is on the line.

No, you can’t guarantee that you will never purchase a counterfeit auto part, but you can certainly reduce the chances. Only deal with reputable retailers and when purchasing online avoid purchasing from overseas suppliers. Auto parts wholesalers not only can save you money, but lessen the risk of you getting something that isn’t genuine. How is that? Because wholesalers buy everything directly from the manufacturer. No middle man to get in the way to jack up prices or, potentially, try to pass off auto parts as genuine that are in reality, fake.

The counterfeit auto parts industry is booming but you can do your part to lessen its impact. Be aware of what you are buying and only purchase your replacement auto parts from reputable dealers who stand by everything they sell.

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When purchasing automobile parts, you are making the assumption that the parts are original. Unfortunately, the growth of counterfeit auto parts is harming the auto supply industry, the overall U.S. economy, and puts drivers and passengers in extreme danger. What can be done about the problem? Consumer awareness! Let’s explore the effect of fake car parts on American life.

What exactly is a fake part? Is it an inferior branded item or something completely different? Counterfeiters are ‘wise’ in that they do not create and market a low cost alternative brand, instead they copy well known existing brands. The Jeep parts you purchase may come in a package that is nearly identical to the one marketed by DaimlerChrysler, but only the package is the same: the product you are purchasing is of an inferior quality [not equaling manufacturer specifications] that can damage your car. Reports about counterfeit brake pads have circulated for years; deaths attributed to accidents involving fake parts have been recorded.

According to the Department of Commerce, the US economy loses approximately $200 billion a year from the counterfeiting of trademarked consumer products and as many as 210,000 jobs have been lost. Worldwide, it is estimated that as much as 9% of the global economy is based on trafficked counterfeit goods, many of these items being auto parts. In Germany, fake VW parts as well as counterfeit BMW parts have surfaced compromising the quality and safety of the two brands.

So, what products are especially prone to being copied? Unfortunately, virtually everything. The following, are some of the items reported by the original equipment manufacturers to be frequent targets of counterfeiting and the “ingredients” they contain:

Brake pads containing sawdust

Fire extinguishers filled with flour

Transmission fluid laced with dyed oil

Filter stuffed with rags

Here are a few things to keep in mind when purchasing new auto parts:

To avoid purchasing counterfeit products only shop with a reputable supplier; e.g. authentic VW parts as well as manfacturer made BMW parts will be sold by recognized online providers. If a part somehow manages to find its way into the inventory of a respected auto parts supplier, you can return or an exchange the item.

The price of an item on eBay or at the flea market is probably “too good to be true” for a reason. Counterfeiters use flea markets extensively to market their wares while eBay and some other auction sites are notorious for passing inferior products.

Examine the packaging and check for incorrect spelling. Ford auto filters have appeared on auto supplier shelves with the words “Food” substituted for Ford and “Motograft” for Motorcraft.

The trafficking of counterfeit auto parts will likely be a long term problem, so you - the consumer - can play an important part by shopping wisely and examining the part before you install it on your vehicle. The safety of you and your loved ones can be compromised without exercising diligence.

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