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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Counterfeits are big business, but just in time for Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday, officials want buyers to know what they are buying and show us how to spot a fake.
Amid fears of a shortage of goods this holiday season, Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection officials are concerned that shoppers are turning to untrustworthy online sites or falling victim to fake sellers, CBS2’s Thalia Perez reported Thursday.
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“So if you have Nike sneakers from a country or have some of these products from a country that our subject matter experts know is not a country of origin for this product, this is the first indicator,” says Sal., Port Director for Customs and border guards said Ingrassia.
Items like Nike sneakers all have a unique QR code inside that helps identify the counterfeits of the legitimate brands. Goods such as handbags, which may be harder to spot, all have hardware and stitching that are unique to the item. New technologies help the good guys to take action against counterfeiters.
Officials say counterfeit products that you would put on your body or face are of particular concern. You should really pay attention to certain makeup that is very similar to the original.
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“These counterfeit products are not subjected to the same standards. In fact, we’ve seen these products contain levels of arsenic and other dangerous products, â€Ingrassia said.
Smartphones, designer sunglasses and belts are also among the heavily counterfeited items.
The goods are said to have been manufactured overseas in countries like China and then shipped to ports in the United States.
Officials say the best advice is if a deal is too good to be true, it probably is.
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Thalia Perez of CBS2 contributed to this report.
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