RCMP warn shoppers about counterfeit goods

The Christmas holiday shopping season has prompted RCMP in Manitoba to warn consumers about the dangers of buying counterfeit goods.

Manitoba RCMP say they have seized $500,000 in counterfeit goods so far this year, up $200,000 from last year.

But knock-off items can put people in danger because counterfeiters spend nothing on quality control, RCMP said Tuesday.

"They do not care what happens to consumers who buy and use substandard counterfeit products," RCMP stated in anews release.

Police say for example, counterfeit electrical devices can catch fire, causing injury and serious damage to property, while fakepharmaceuticals often have no active ingredients or worse, have toxic ingredients and have caused death.

Counterfeit children's clothing contains no fire retardant, while counterfeit toys do not meet any safety standards, they added.

"There is no guarantee that counterfeit goods have gone through any kind of inspection, meet any quality standards and there is no guarantee they do not contain dangerous materials," said Cpl. John Montgomery of the RCMP's federal enforcement section.

'Money is the driving factor'

Montgomerysaidnearly all of the counterfeit goods have two things in common: they're made in China and they were purchased online.

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"This one jacket I wanted to buy downtown was $800, but I could get it on the internet for $250. And there's a reasonbecause it's not authentic," he said.

"It's the price. Money is the driving factor."

Police say criminals involved in intellectual property crimecopyright piracy and trademark counterfeiting range from organized crime groups to small-scale retailers who sell small quantities of counterfeitgoods to supplement their income.

"Many people are also unaware that buying these cheap knock-offs could mean they are inadvertently supporting organized crime or other types of criminality," the RCMP release stated.

"Job loss because of lost revenue for legitimate businesses is also a consequence of counterfeit goods."

Police are advising consumers to look out for the "4P indicators" that a product may be counterfeit:

• Package: Examine the packaging and look for spelling errors or a shoddy appearance.
• Price: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• Place: Buy from reputable retailers and use extra diligence when purchasing items through the internet.
• Product: Is the quality and appearance of the product satisfactory?