I do, and I am quite sure most do.

The issue is not about caring; it is more about doing. By definition, Fake News is still News as the identification of it alone becomes the story. The UK Government has decided in its infinite wisdom that school kids should be taught about identifying Fake News. How and by whom? Even the sharpest brains can be fooled into believing something is true when it turns out to be fake. Modern ( and historic) finances are littered by Ponzi-type schemes.

Since Homo Sapiens stood up on two legs, they have been spreading fake news. Sitting around the fireside telling all of their amazing feats of killing ginormous Sabre-Toothed Tigers with their bare hands. The Greeks sending what appeared to be a Gift from the Gods to the Gates of Troy, without telling the whole story that it was ram jam full of Ancient Greek special forces. Telling the British electorate on Brexit that the £350 million each week saved from EU contributions could be used for the NHS. Or that was how it was interpreted. All three illustrate how difficult it can be in deciding what is fake and what is not.

So, Fake News has been disseminating from early human speech (and probably before). What is happening now is that the means of spreading it are much more effective. But ’tis not that about which I wish to post. It is Fake Product. Not for the first time, yet I am constantly amazed at how much of it is clear for all to see.

Fake product takes varying disguises.

When Watches are being made and sold for tens of thousands of pounds( even millions) is it of any surprise to anyone that factories also churn out thousands of fakes that sell for a fraction of the price. These are proper illegal fakes. To the naked eye it is not easy to spot the difference. I know, as in years past, I have bought such copies (purely in the interest of research, of course ). I suspect that the makers of the Patek Phillipe are not that bothered. Their target market is never going to buy a fake. Those who buy fakes could never buy the real thing.

However, if you were looking to buy an Iphone for say £1000 and there was an Aphone that looked and performed in exactly the same way, at £400 you would be very tempted and it would quite clearly impact Apple’s Business. And does……

I was scammed myself with a fake iPhone 15 ProMax.

I was provided with the image of the back of the sealed iphone box and the Apple Store receipt. They matched. I verified the IMEI number on two IMEI checking site both showed as clear. I checked the serial number on the Apple support site it came up okay.

But, after I got the phone and turned it on I noticed the display wasn’t full size checked some other stuff. And things were starting to look weird. Plus I checked the MagSafe connection it wouldn’t stick.

I did notice after checking the scam box with a real iPhone box two things that were different. The iPhone image on the REAL box is raised noticeably. The fake felt like just a crease. The other thing that was more noticeable is the back of the box. The fake box had a sticker on the back which contained the phone’s information. On the real box that info is printed directly on the box.

I also did connect to my home wifi temporarily. My wifi app said that it connected as a Generic Brand Android device running Android Oreo 8.1

Physically the FAKE iPhone was perfect.

I bought this FAKE iPhone via Facebook marketplace.(This was not me)

There dozens of pages and videos on how to spot a fake iPhone.

On a much lower level, in an area of personal interest, are the marketplaces where some sellers sail very close to the wind.

This is taken from a seller on Amazon. It is described as Elsa Princess Costume. It does not mention Disney but for all intents and purposes, it is a knock off. The Vendor is based in China (Co. Name SHENZHENSHIYOULATESHIYEYOUXIANGONGSI) . Yes, it is real and registered by HMRC. Are they breaking any laws?

On a less severe note but equally a pain in the bum, is the practice of taking a lookey-likey, placing the product on an existing listing by a well-known brand. It does not say it is the same product, but looks very similar and is often a lot cheaper. Whilst it is not actually a criminal offence but is certainly against the policy of someone like Amazon. It is very difficult to monitor (even for Amazon) but needs to be done by the brand owner where possible .

The bottom line is that fake product is such big business and so profitable that even when the perpetrators are caught, there is always someone else to replace them. Bit like drug dealing, except the shipping companies will probably not get blown to smithereens by American missiles! Of course the fake items purchased on online marketplaces are unlikely to cause damage to the health of the nation. Unless they are cosmetics, medicines, knives, electrical goods, paints……

One would think that that Big Tech would have more control over this …..

Number of Products on Amazon

Last updated: June 25, 2025

Highlights. There are over 350 million products for sale on Amazon. Capital One Shopping Research

Even for them, it is a tough ask. And we must not forget Bricks and mortar outlets will also have fake products. Some knowingly, some not.

_{Fake & Dangerous Fakes}

A Fake is one thing but a dangerous fake is another. Regrettably, there is a huge range of stuff where the the Fake is potentially very dangerous cosmetics, medicines, knives, electrical goods, paint, toys, and party items to name but a few. According to the consumer magazine ‘Which?’ it estimated that nearly 70% of cosmetics purchased online are fake.

The report revealed that counterfeit cosmetics can contain dangerous substances including animal faeces, urine, arsenic, lead and mercury, posing serious health risks including skin irritation, infections and chemical burns.-Which? Report June 2025

Sandwell Trading Standards warns families about dangerous fake toys this Christmas

…….Other toys, including K Pop Demon Hunter dolls and Marvel action figures, have also been identified as fakes. Further testing will now be carried out to check for excessive levels of phthalates – chemicals sometimes used to soften plastics. High levels of phthalates have been linked to long-term health problems, including potential harm to the reproductive system, liver damage and increased risks of cancer, asthma and allergies.

French Authorities have recently published a report saying they have stopped over 11 million toy items at the border from entering the marketplace. They are a mix of counterfeits, product failing to meet safety standards.

86% of toys sold online by non-European e-commerce retailers dangerous for children, study says

Le Monde December 23 2025

Just because an item is cheap, looks ok and does the job doesn’t make it right.

According to the OECD the global market for fake products was just under $500 billion in 2021. Accounting for 2.3% of world trade. It will never be eradicated but it does not mean it should be encouraged. If a deal looks too good and invariably it is . And don’t think by buying it does no one any harm . It does. Someone out there in the chain gets hurt in one way or another .

Some will say “the likes of Apple make bucket loads of money anyway…so what”. Well Apple do make loads of dosh. But that doesn’t make it right. If they had not taken risks years ago investing loads of dosh in the technology, we may not have had smartphone technology. Naturally, the same can be said for many highly successful operations. James Dyson staked everything he had on his belief in his development with the first bagless vacuum cleaner….

 “I made 5,127 prototypes of my vacuum before I got it right. There were 5,126 failures.

The product has been copied relentlessly since it became a market success. This includes the Hoover Company who were successfuly sued for copying a key aspect of his technology. Dyson became and remains a multi-billionaire.

Little will change despite many Governments claiming they will make strenuous efforts to clamp down on such nefarious activity. Bit like drug dealers, the rewards far exceed the risks.

Whether manufacturer, importer, distributor, retailer, or consumer, we all need to take a close look at ourselves and ask ….

‘Am I, in any way, even in a very small way, slightly complicit?’