Trading Standards warning of counterfeit goods risk in run-up to Christmas
Unscrupulous traders were caught selling fake perfumes in Liverpool last year
It's feared the cost of living crisis will lead to even more people being duped into buying counterfeit goods in the run-up to Christmas.
In November 2022, nine unscrupulous traders were caught selling fake perfumes in Liverpool City Centre.
They were carrying shopping bags with different 'perfumes' in and sourcing top-ups from cars that were parked nearby.
Liverpool Trading Standards officers are preparing for similar activity over the next few weeks.
Mark Wainwright from Liverpool Trading Standards said:
"Looking at the National Intelligence database that we use, these same males are popping up all around the country.
"The branded perfumes had prices of up to £200 and some people were observed on Citywatch (cameras) passing on quite a substantial amount of notes to these traders.
"They openly admitted when you stop them that they were counterfeit and they weren't genuine.
"I've no doubt they will probably be back"
"That was a particular scourge last Christmas. It started in November and I've no doubt they probably will be back.
Having said that, now that we've got the convictions against them, it then allows the council to go for orders to restrict them from being in the city centre.
"Over the last year, we've had problems with the Apple EarPods and we've had people being stopped with counterfeit iPhones and counterfeit Samsung phones.
"If somebody is approaching you on the street offering to sell you an iPhone, it's unlikely to be genuine."
Citizens Advice offers guidance on what to do if anyone buys something that is fake or counterfeit.
Mick Blakeley from Citizens Advice Liverpool said:
"It's (buying counterfeit goods) something that we see all year round and I think there's two sides to this to this story.
"There are things where people have bought fake goods where they are not aware that the goods that they have bought are fake. If that is the situation then you have got a lot of rights regarding that - because the goods are not matching what it's being described as.
"The other side of it is if people buy something where they essentially know that it's counterfeit off a street corner or whatever.
"The issue there is around the quality of the product that you've bought will will likely not match the quality of the original product that's been counterfeited.
Obviously companies who are selling things legitimately test their products, go through a number of safety protocols which counterfeit goods makers do not.
"If something looks too good to be true, it probably is"
"If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. It's all about looking at the circumstances.
"If I go into a high-street retailer who we're all aware of and buy something that turns out to be counterfeit, then I've got a lot of rights to protect that and they shouldn't be doing that.
"However, we do know there is a market for goods that are counterfeit where people know it's counterfeit."