Fake Free Zones

Q.What is a Fake Free Zone?

For many people, buying a counterfeit item can seem like a good way to buy a designer item at a knockdown price. However, consumers often do not realise that part of the reason these goods are cheaper than the real thing is because they are badly made, and sometimes even dangerous.

Buying counterfeit goods can also have much greater consequences than people realise, and you could end up unwittingly giving money to organised crime. Counterfeiters also have a huge impact on legitimate businesses, which causes them to lose millions of pounds of revenue a year. Popular amongst counterfeited items are sportswear, designer label clothing, perfume, cigarettes and alcohol, CDs, video tapes, computer software and DVDs.

To tackle this problem Trading Standards Officers have worked with local car boot and market organisers in North East Lincolnshire. This includes providing training to staff on how to detect counterfeit items and by conducting both high visibility and covert inspections to tackle the criminals.

Q.How do I spot a fake?

Examine any items you are thinking of buying carefully. Poor quality labels and packaging on perfumes and cosmetics can often indicate that the items inside are not genuine. If you are buying CDs, DVDs or pre recorded audio cassette tapes be wary of any with:

• poor quality inlay cards

• no artist name on the cassette label or disc face

• no outer cellophane wrapping.

CDs that are not silver on the recording face will often be copies. Also look out for CDs, DVDs, and video tapes without security holograms that have photocopied or badly printed labels. Fake DVDs often appear to be a bargain. But they are frequently a waste of money as they either won't work at all, have sound but no picture, picture but no sound or are filmed from a camcorder in a cinema. Although good bargains can always be found it pays to be aware that if something seems too good to be true it probably is.

You are obviously far less at risk of buying counterfeit goods if you shop at well established retailers so. Don't buy from someone selling out of a suitcase in the high street.

If you suspect someone is selling counterfeit items in North East Lincolnshire please contact us. We accept anonymous information via our Fake Free Zone text hotline, so please do let us know. Text 'fakes' together with the information to 82055.

Q.How can I create a Fake Free Zone?

If you are a car boot or market organiser in North East Lincolnshire and would like to make your marketplace a fake free zone please contact us on 01472 324770.

North East Lincolnshire Council Trading Standards Department, Thrunscoe Centre, Highgate, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, DN35 8NX.
Telephone: (01472) 324770   Fax: (01472) 324819   Electronic Mail: trading.standards@nelincs.gov.uk