U.S. Customs Seizes Large Quantity of Counterfeit Exercise Products Popular Ab Coaster Product Among the Fake Items Discovered by Officials Chester, NJ (PRWEB) January 14, 2010 Thinking about buying an Ab Coaster or other popular exercise product for cheap on Craigs List? Think again. The attractive low prices for items seen on internet sites such as Craigs List are there for one simple reason: the product is likely a cheap counterfeit. The U. S. Customs and Border Protection Service notified The Ab Coaster Company that it seized large container quantities of counterfeit Ab Coaster products at a port in Long Beach, CA. According to company spokesperson, Sean Gagnon: "Everyday we receive phone calls and emails from unhappy customers complaining about problems they are having from poor quality counterfeit goods they purchased on Craigs List or eBay. So we were not surprised when we learned that U.S. officials discovered and seized the counterfeit Ab Coaster products at the port." To read more about Consumer Fraud and fake Ab Coaster products click here. Counterfeiting of consumer products is estimated at $250 billion a year according to the Department of Commerce. Counterfeiters often target products such as watches, handbags, computer software, and sunglasses. But they also copy other unexpected products such as auto parts, aircraft parts, baby formula, shampoo, cosmetics, medical devices, and fitness products such as the Ab Coaster. Airliners and helicopters have crashed due to such spurious components. Counterfeit auto parts--notably brake pads--have also caused deaths. Counterfeit fitness equipment can easily break down and cause severe bodily injury and property damage. Because today's fakes are not just the usual knockoffs, special precautions need to be taken when shopping. "If you make it, they will fake it," says Caroline Joiner, executive director of the Global Intellectual Property Center, run by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "Every product in every industry is vulnerable." Counterfeiting has moved out of the shady dark corners of the street to more legitimate venues. Of course, vendors still peddle counterfeit merchandise on city streets. Fake Rolex watches and Fendi purses are sold on the street corner in New York City. But with the birth of internet commerce, the counterfeit game has changed in a big way. The shady guy standing outside in a raincoat has been replaced by people posting ads on websites such as Craigs List and eBay. The sellers typically post bogus stories such as "I moved and this Ab Coaster doesn't fit in my new apartment", or "I received this product as a birthday present but I have one already," in an effort to fool buyers into believing that the product is authentic and their intentions are pure. To read more about Consumer Fraud and fake Ab Coaster products on the web click here. Fake replicas may look the same as the authentic product, but they are very different - especially when it comes to exercise equipment such as the Ab Coaster. Counterfeiters use poor quality materials and faulty workmanship, which could lead to damage and serious injury. That's why counterfeit goods cost so much less than the original. Counterfeit products are not serviced or warranted by the manufacturer, so the risk of buying counterfeit goods is high. According to Gagnon: "If you believe you are a victim of a counterfeit, you may contact the The Ab Coaster Company and file a complaint. If you file a valid claim, The Ab Coaster Company will give you a $100.00 victim reward good towards any authentic Ab Coaster product." To file a complaint click here. For more information, contact:
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