Buyer beware: How to spot a counterfeit toy or game

Just astir everything is successful abbreviated proviso this vacation season.

The proviso concatenation problems person led to shortages of each kinds of toys, including Hot Wheels, LOL Doll and Mario Kart contention way sets.

So wherefore not bargain a bully knock-off artifact if the artifact oregon gadget is sold out?

The net is afloat of knockoffs, but those copycat toys tin beryllium perchance dangerous.

Warning signs a artifact is not the existent thing

Nikki Flemming is with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). She says her bureau is perpetually moving with Customs and Border Protection successful an effort to propulsion unsafe counterfeits.

"The CPSC is really is ever looking, each twelvemonth long, to support consumers safe, but particularly during your vacation time," she said.

Flemming reminds radical that owed diligence is important.

"Consumers should commencement with a seller they cognize and trust," she said. "Also, if the terms is excessively bully to beryllium true, it could beryllium counterfeit."

The CPSC says informing signs of a counterfeit artifact include:

• The packaging looks antithetic from what is recovered connected sites similar Amazon oregon astatine stores similar Target
• Misspellings oregon grammatical mistakes successful the merchandise statement oregon connected the package
• The manufacturer's accusation is not intelligibly printed connected the container oregon determination is nary shaper listed
• The point is successful banal and the terms is suspiciously low

Risks erstwhile buying a counterfeit

People whitethorn deliberation there's nary harm successful buying a inexpensive imitation toy.

However, Flemming says galore copycat toys are poorly made, incorporate crisp parts oregon person been painted with lead-based paint.

Some counterfeit toys besides incorporate tiny parts that tin beryllium a choking hazard.

"CPSC's latest toy-related information shows astir 150,000 infirmary exigency country treated injuries to children nether the property of 14 and 9 toy-related deaths successful 2020," Fleming said.

Just recently, the CPSC and Customs agents uncovered a large shipment of toys covered successful unsafe levels of lead. But that could beryllium conscionable the extremity of the iceberg, they suspect.

To support yourself, work online reviews — some pros and cons — and effort to bargain from a large store, not an chartless seller.

You tin besides larn much astir the informing signs and risks of counterfeits successful the CPSC's News Release.

Bottom line: sometimes that net hunt for the astir cleanable artifact tin effect successful overmuch much than simply wasting your money.
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