This holiday PSA will be
brief. As family and friends search for the perfect gift, they’ll undoubtedly defer to what could be the most prominent holiday present (besides love, that is): clothing. From ugly sweaters to designer underwear to your favorite sports jerseys, people are destined to don new apparel especially at this time of year.
With the influx of shopping also comes the influx of counterfeiters wishing to capitalize on holiday consumers. They are particular masters at bait and switch- they advertise their products as the real deal, yet in exchange for your real money these criminals will send you fake clothing.
“Purchased in Thailand and repackaged in Sweden, the fake goods were found to be of poor quality in fabric and detailing and used raccoon and dog fur instead of coyote around the jacket hoods… Previous analysis of imitation Canada Goose jackets have shown that they include feather mulch and other fillers which are often coated in bacteria, fungus, mildew and even feces.”
Now imagine that on your recently gifted
underwear. I think you know where we’re going with this.
As you can see, fake clothing is much more than wearing an imitation of the best brands. Counterfeits pose potential health hazards, line the pockets of
criminal organizations, and are downright detrimental to legitimate businesses who do take pains at providing quality products.
While our enforcement professionals do their job at monitoring for fakes in the
14,000 shipping containers that come in every day, consumers can also do their part by trusting their instincts and follow the advice of Oklahoma consumer specialist
Clark Howard:
“Anytime you see something at a phenomenally low price, and it says it’s a particular famous brand name, odds are its counterfeit.”
Image from iStock
Your loved one’s smile may turn upside down when they see the
