Customs Warns Of Fake/Inferior Products This Holiday Season
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The old saying of if it looks too good to be true is especially apropos at Christmas time. Wednesday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection showed off the fake inferior products they've seized that could ruin anyone's Christmas.
"You're spending a lot of good money on these products and they're actually fake," said Roland Suliveras port director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Among the items CBP showed Wednesday were cell phones, brand-name bracelets, DVD's, headphones, even stuffed animals for kids. But, none of them were the real deal. All of the items could be harmful to the U.S. economy, Suliveras said.
But it's not just the fake items agents are looking out for, but also faulty toys that could be a hazard to children.
"Everything from pieces that will fall off and they can choke or things coated in lead paint," Suliveras said agents watched for at the port.
Agents told CBS4's Gaby Fleischmann that one way to check to see if a toy is safe is the "drop test." Basically, you drop a toy on the floor and if a small piece falls off that a child could swallow, throw it out.
"It's gotta be common sense," Suliveras said. "If you think you're getting a good deal for $100, $200 off, I'd be cautious."
