Press releases
21 August 2006
Car Boot Counterfeits
Don't be fooled by Car Boot Counterfeits, warns Consumer Direct.
With the Bank Holiday Weekend fast approaching Consumer Direct is warning consumers to be aware at car boot sales of traders selling goods at heavily discounted prices, as they may turn out to be counterfeit.
In the last 6 months, Consumer Direct in the South West has received hundreds of calls about problems with counterfeit products. Counterfeit goods are deliberately produced to resemble well-known brands. Part of the reason for the increase in counterfeiting is availability of new technology.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Group estimate that the black market in fake goods and piracy is worth over £10 billion a year in the UK, with 1 in every 5 adults having bought a counterfeit item in the past year.
Although it can be quite tempting to fall for these bargains, counterfeit goods can be damaging, not only to you and other people, but also to the economy. Some reasons you may not have considered before include:-
- The goods may be dangerous – from cosmetics that can cause a skin rash to a car part that may cause an accident
- They help to fund organised crime and even terrorism
- They affect the local economy as genuine manufacturers cannot compete with the criminals who make and sell fakes.
- The goods do not come with any guarantees or after sales service
- Fake goods deprive the copyright owners of money that can be used to fund new development.
The most common fakes at car boot sales include:
- Branded clothing, watches, perfumes and cosmetics
- CDs, DVDs, videos and audio tapes
- Computer software such as games
- DIY tools
Consumer Direct is offering the following top tips to avoid buying fakes:
- Be suspicious about bargains. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is!
- Find out if you have any guarantees or after-sales service.
- Examine the quality of the goods.
- Check labels and packaging for misspellings and poor logos.
- Take extra care at car boot sales or in other situations where it may be more difficult to get in touch with the trader after the purchase.
For information on how to avoid counterfeit goods, or if you think you have been a victim and bought counterfeit goods, call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.
For further Press information, please contact Bernice Williams and Naomi Kitchen on 01209 720 285.
