WhyCounterfeit Items Inside Your Home Could Pose a Threat to Your Family 

 

During anearly year-long investigation into the world of ｃounterfeit items, ABCNews’ “20/20” exposed some of the methods US Customs and Border Inspection say ｃounterfeiters use to smugglefake goods into the U.S. products that can be found inside your home or thefamily car.

Investigatorssay many of these same methods are putting your family’s safety at risk.

In Folsom, California, Bob and TamiLarson bought a used car knowing they needed to replace the airbag. They boughtan airbag from Igor Borodin, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for oneｃount of trafficking and attempting to traffic in ｃounterfeit airbags bearingthe registered trademark of automobile manufacturers and one ｃount ofdelivering and causing to be delivered hazardous materials to air carriers for transportationin air commerce.

InsideBorodin’s home in Indian Trail, North Carolina, investigators found more than1,500 fake airbags and $60,000 in cash hidden in the walls.

Authoritiessay he sold $1.7 million worth of fake airbags and was once a top-rated selleron eBay. Following this incident, eBay said they tightened their sellingpolicies.

“We found out later, a year after webought them, that the government said that the guy who had replaced or sold usthe driver’s side airbag had sold us a bum bag,” Bob Larson told “20/20.”

Afterreplacing the airbag in the Larsons’ car with an authorized dealerreplacement, “20/20” tested the fake airbag they had been driving around withat the California Bureau of Automotive Repair.

When set off,the airbag that was in the Larsons’ car sent plastic shrapnel flying asfar as about 40 feet away.

Specialized, a bicycle componentscompany, showed “20/20” what happened when a ｃounterfeit helmet, whichcustomers could purchase online, was put to the test.

A testerperformed a linear impact test on the ｃounterfeit helmet, which cleavedinto two pieces and failed the test. Specialized says their helmets are notsupposed to break in half during the linear impact test.

“The real Specialized helmet on the inside has this, which iswhat we call the roll cage. It’s aramid fiber, which is really strong and keepsthe helmet together,” Ben Capron, director of Category Marketing atSpecialized, told “20/20.”

At Underwriters Laboratories (UL), aglobal independent safety science company, Consumer Safety Director JohnDrengenberg showed “20/20” what could happen if someone used a ｃounterfeitextension cord that didn’t contain the right fire-proof materials.

During ademonstration with a ｃounterfeit extension cord, the fake cord caught on firewhen it was plugged in and put under a heavy electrical load. With asubstandard fake cord, this could actually happen in a real-life situation inyour home, Drengenberg said.

Article Source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/ｃounterfeit-items-inside-home-pose-threat-family/story?id=31023849

Image Source: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/29/article-0-1B7B3C15000005DC-634_638x399.jpg

VOCABULARY WORDS:

1. Counterfeit (n.) ~ a fraudulentimitation of something else 

2. Smuggle (v.) ~ move goods illegally intoor out of a ｃountry  

3. Authorized (adj.) ~ having officialpermission or approval  

4. Shrapnel (n.) ~ fragments of a bomb,shell, or other object thrown out by an explosion  

5. Cleave (v.) ~ split or sever  

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:  

1. Have you ever experienced buying a ｃounterfeit?Tell me what happened.  

2. How can the customers avoid buyingｃounterfeit items?