HOW FAR WOULD YOU FAKE IT THIS CHRISTMAS?
1st December 2012
Glamorous party nights and buying gifts for friends are two of the things we look forward to most over the festive season. But just how far would you be prepared to fake it this Christmas?
With the current economic climate we are all on the look out for bargains. But watch out: what you think is a bargain might also be fake. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Criminals are becoming increasingly clever and are extending their counterfeit products. Most people know about fake handbags, shoes and clothing, but consumers also need to be aware of fake alcohol, cosmetics, tanning creams and pharmaceuticals including condoms, pregnancy testing and ovulation kits and slimming tablets.
You can learn how to avoid buying fake goods by visiting the Girls’ Day Out exhibition at the SECC in Glasgow this weekend (30 November – 2 December). Officers and staff from the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) will be there to show you how to spot counterfeit products and demonstrate how far counterfeiters will go to dupe the unsuspecting public.
Detective Chief Inspector Ronnie Megaughin, SCDEA said: “Your night out could turn out to be a disaster if you’ve been taken in by the counterfeiters. Imagine how you would feel if you injected a tanning solution which turned your skin orange. And that’s not to mention the health risks you are exposing yourself to by using a needle.
“Then there’s counterfeit alcohol. It’s bad enough having a hangover when you’ve had a few too many but imagine how you could feel if you’ve been drinking wine or vodka which contains household cleaning agents or even methylated spirits. If it doesn’t kill you, you could be left blind or in a coma.”
And it’s not even what you buy that you need to think about but where you buy it from. There are lots of unofficial internet sites. At first glance bogus websites will appear to be genuine, well-known retailers offering recognisable brands. However, false websites are used by criminals to distribute a phishing attack, sell counterfeit goods, steal credit card details and obtain cash for goods that will never be delivered. The best advice consumers can follow is to check out a brand’s authorised and approved sellers and dealers and always buy beauty products from a trusted source.
With more and more of us buying our Christmas gifts online DCI Megaughin continued, “Don’t risk giving your nearest and dearest friends an infection by giving them fake cosmetics - it’s not uncommon to find paint stripper and nail varnish remover in mascara. We are urging consumers to think very carefully before buying fake beauty products or any other counterfeit good. It’s up to each of us to help tackle this problem and reduce the impact of serious organised crime.”
If you do find yourself the victim of a scam you can contact your local Trading Standards office or Scambusters Scotland on 01236 63 88 33 or by emailing scambusters[AT]northlan.gsx.gov.uk
Another area of concern is counterfeit medicines and medical devices. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will join the SCDEA at the Girls’ Day Out show to draw consumers’ attention to the real dangers of buying fake products, especially online.
Acting Group Manager of the MHRA’s Enforcement Group, Nimo Ahmed warns “No country in the world is safe from the threat that counterfeit medicines and medical devices pose to the health of their citizens and Scotland is no exception – there are people out there who are determined to profit from counterfeit products at the expense of patients and will seek to exploit any opportunity to infiltrate the market. We are delighted to be working alongside the SCDEA to bring our message to all who attend this worthwhile event.
“If you are thinking about buying your medicines or self-testing kits online, we advise you to proceed with caution. You could be putting yourself at risk unnecessarily. Have a chat with your GP or pharmacist first – they will be able to advise on best healthcare options for you.
“These websites often look like the real deal, but if they don’t carry the green cross logo of the General Pharmaceutical Council and have a ‘bricks and mortar’ address, they may be dealing illegally.”
The SCDEA has highlighted examples of the types of approaches that online criminals might use during the festive period to deceive shoppers. Everyone should do some basic checks before accessing websites and handing over their personal details. Don’t let criminals spoil your or your loved one’s Christmas.
Here are some tips to avoid the pitfalls:
* Price, place and packaging are all good indicators of whether an item is genuine or not. Counterfeit goods are often sold at markets.
* To identify genuine online retailers: look for a padlock in the browser or at the bottom right of the screen before processing a payment. Secure website addresses will begin with ‘https’ on the check-out or payment processing pages. Check the retailer has a telephone number and postal address and read the returns and privacy policy. Shoppers should also sign-up for ‘Verified by Visa’ or ‘MasterCard Securecode’ to increase security of online payments.
* Fake attempted delivery of mail is a scam regularly used by online criminals. People receive emails stating that a company attempted to deliver a package and inviting the user to make arrangements for re-delivery by accessing a link, which when clicked will actually deliver malware, which is malicious software that can disrupt your computer or even gather sensitive information or allow other people to access your computer.
* Look out for products sold in packaging featuring spelling or grammatical mistakes. Make sure the font and logo matches the brand identity and check that the proper colours and finishes (matt or gloss) are used on product packaging.
