From shoes and clothes to cosmetics, fake products are everywhere.
According to a recent survey by Michigan State University, seven out of ten shoppers have been tricked into buying a counterfeit products over the internet in the past year.
"You don't want to wind up with electronics that may have a battery that could explode or catch fire. You don't want to have toys made with lead paint. You don't want materials that might hurt your family or friends," said Frank Cullen of the Council for Innovation Promotion.
Cullen says it’s important to be vigilant, especially when buying clothes or luxury products. He says imperfections in dyes, mismatched seams, incorrect spelling on labels, blurred printing, or ill-fitting shrink wrap are telltale signs of counterfeit goods.
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U.S. Border Patrol have seized millions in counterfeit items, but the internet remains flooded with fakes.
"It's very, very clever what the counterfeiters are now doing. They set up fake websites that look just like the genuine ones. But these aren't just about selling you a counterfeit product. They're also trying to steal your personal and financial information, including details about your family," Cullen explained.
This holiday season, shoppers should also be wary of fake shipping notifications, whether through text or email. These often contain tracking links leading to websites designed to steal personal information.
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Florida ranks second in the nation for monetary losses due to online scams, according to FBI data.
Cullen recommends shoppers to stick to recognized websites to reduce the risk of encountering counterfeits.
To verify the security of a website: look for 'HTTPS' in the URL and a lock symbol in the address bar or on the webpage.
