FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COUNTERFEITING, FALSES PRODUCT CLAIMS AND THE CORONAVIRUS, A VERY REAL AND GROWING CONCERN

March 3, 2020 - New York, New York – SK Worldwide, Ltd., a global brand protection and anti-counterfeiting investigations firm, announced today that they have witnessed a tremendous growth in reporting regarding the availability of counterfeit goods relating to personal protection from the Coronavirus.  The products being reported range from fake face protection masks to fake cure-alls.  As a global pandemic looms, there are those that seek to profit and price gouge.  There are measures that consumers can take to protect themselves.

The counterfeit face mask problem is not just a domestic problem. Kyodo News, a Japanese online news outlet reported in late February that China seized, "over 31 million fake or inferior masks" adding that authorities have, "cracked down on 688 cases involving the production and sale of counterfeit and other inferior protective materials and arrested more than 1,560 suspects". 

Domestically, the New York Post reported that, "Amazon yanked more than 1 million fake and overpriced coronavirus products from its online marketplace in an effort to stop sellers from profiting off fear".

From SK Worldwide's decades of experience in purchasing and identifying counterfeit goods, there are several steps consumers can take to protect themselves.  It should be noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are advising that uninfected consumers should not purchase face masks and save them for the medical professionals that require them, however the below tips apply to any personal protective items.

·         Take care to purchase name brand products when possible.

·         If purchasing from an online outlet, ensure that the outlet clearly provides working contact information and not just a generic email or contact form.

·         Beware of the current trends of price gouging, particularly online.

·         When choosing a seller to purchase from in an online marketplace, choose sellers with numerous positive reviews and longer histories in the marketplace.

·         Even if a personal protective product is not counterfeit, it may be tied with false and misleading claims. If you are in doubt, verify claims with your medical professional.

·         If the outer packaging on the products you order looks childish, poorly printed, or sloppy in any way, question the product's origin.