Stemming counterfeit goods
Mom was right. If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.
And you’re hearing it again from the RCMP, whose Border Integrity Section has issued a renewed warning about a flood of counterfeit and pirated good into this area.
In the last two weeks alone, its members have seized four batches of counterfeit goods in the Regina area.
Among them were 561 counterfeit cellphone accessories and 273 electric products — which should worry you.
That’s because none of these items had the thirdparty testing and certification stickers that indicate they’ve been checked by responsible agencies in this country to determine if they’re safe to use.
More scary stuff: The RCMP warns that the items seized include toothpaste, pharmaceuticals and shampoo.
It points out that “luxury counterfeit products such as cosmetics and perfumes can cause allergic reactions and burns.
“Genuine cosmetic products are rigorously tested and must comply with Canadian law in order to be sold to the public. Counterfeit makeup and perfume, however, is unregulated and may contain unknown chemicals.”
As for electrical products and batteries, counterfeit ones that go untested, “can explode or cause fires”, the Force warns.
There are more reasons against buying counterfeit goods: Toys that haven’t been tested and could have dangerous paint, pose a choking hazard, or contain unsanitary stuffing or flammable fabric.
Pharmaceuticals (including those sold online) can have “little to no active ingredients and may contain hazardous products that can cause further medical conditions”. Counterfeit razor blades with faulty workmanship can scar you, the police warn.
The items seized over the last two weeks have an estimated street value of about $17,000. But nationally, this is a very bigleague scam indeed. Last year, the RCMP undertook 876 investigations of counterfeit merchandise and seized over $76.5 million of pirated and counterfeit goods.
The RCMP even offers some advice on spotting counterfeit goods:
• Packaging with poor-quality graphics, spelling mistakes, appearance, plus the odd sight of competing brands sold in the same packaging or beside each other on a shelf;
• Products normally sold as a package being sold individually, often without labels, and with name brand or certification misspelled or missing;
• Products sold in odd places — that’s because manufacturers are particular about where their products are sold and how they are displayed. Many items are only sold over their official websites or from their stores. Missing from them are labels, name brands or certification;
• Prices much lower than the price for “known authentic goods” and, as the saying goes, too good to be true.
If you know about counterfeit products, you can contact the RCMP Regina Border Integrity Section at 1-306-780-7972. Persons who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477.