Overview

Counterfeit products put consumers at risk and damage brands

Did You Know?

  • Counterfeit small appliances can kill. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that fake products without a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) can cause deadly electrical shock.
  • Counterfeit airbags have been sold as replacement parts for vehicles that have been in a crash, according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Counterfeit certification marks and fake products create a risk to the public for serious injury, illness, or even death. Consumers who believe they are buying safe, certified items may be getting a counterfeit that hasn’t undergone any legitimate safety testing.

Responsible manufacturers who make an effort and investment to obtain CSA marks may lose their competitive advantage against competitors selling counterfeit products. Counterfeit marks also infringe on CSA Group trademarks.

CSA Group has adopted a policy of aggressive pursuit towards counterfeit products and the misuse of CSA certification marks. We vigorously investigate false marks and defend our trademarks and certification marks around the world.

Help us protect the public from hazardous products and maintain the integrity of CSA certification marks by reporting suspect counterfeit marks as soon as you suspect them.

How to spot a potential counterfeit product

It can be difficult to spot a counterfeit product, but there are some common telltale signs and red flags you should look for when assessing the authenticity of a mark:

  • Look for misspellings, errors, or misprints on certification labels, tags, plates, or packaging
  • Be suspicious of pricing that is “too good to be true”
  • Look closely for obvious quality issues with packaging or the product itself
  • Be wary of products from unknown sellers, online auctions, or no-name stores, including “copycat” e-commerce websites

Although any one of these factors doesn’t guarantee that your product is a counterfeit, several of these red flags warrant suspicion.

Help us in our fight and report a suspected counterfeit mark to CSA Group for investigation.

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