Friend Or Fake?

The egregious practice of counterfeiting U.S made goods and technology is rampant and likely to increase as a result of tariffs and the current trade war with China. It is estimated that counterfeit goods costs the U.S economy around $600 billion a year. Let that sink in!

Undoubtedly counterfeit goods undermine our economy and, cause substantial losses to our industry, but they are especially harmful to our military and law enforcement personnel. The failure of these inferior goods and products in the field can lead not only to financial loss but injury and death.

Buyers have little or no legal recourse, having purchased a counterfeit they are unlikely to ever recover their money or a replacement when the product malfunctions, and forget about warranty.

Even Government agencies and contractors are not immune to the clever conniving of dedicated counterfeiters. Recently the counterfeit production of 200 specialized parkas designed to counter night vision goggles was sold to an U.S Air Force Supply Base. Little did the wearers know that this gear, in fact lacked the near-infrared technology that was supposed to protect them.

We at CORE know first-hand the problems associated with our gear being knocked off and represented as the real thing. A solicitation for U.S Special Forces posted on Unison Marketplace would have been awarded to a supplier providing counterfeit goods, had we not caught it and intervened in time.

As Marcia Baldwin, President of CORE Survival, Inc. points out “counterfeit products are not made to the same standards as the real product with regard to quality assurance, test standards, and so on. Our products are used in extreme environments where product reliability could be a life and death matter.”

So, how do buyers protect themselves and ensure they are purchasing legitimate products? This article provides 10 ways you can guard against buying fraudulent goods.

Do your research. Make sure you only purchase from the manufacturer or one of their authorized distributors. Trust your instincts, be wary of sellers using retailers such as eBay and Amazon. For military type gear such as HEL-STAR®, these are usually fakes or stolen government property. Neither of which is a good scenario.

The old adage “if it looks too good to be true then it usually is” is sadly applicable. If something is selling for a third of its price…it’s more than likely a fake. You do get what you pay for and what may look like a good deal can end up costing you a lot more than money in the end.

When in doubt don’t be afraid to reach out to the manufacturer to ask questions and verify the legitimacy of the item before you buy. As with most manufacturers and authorized retailers you will find that we are more than willing to provide assistance to you in this area.

For a complete list of authorized distributors for CORE Survival, Inc. products please click here