WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Battling Bootleggers, What To Watch For

Battling Bootleggers, What To Watch For

By David Kenney - bio | email

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Research shows 71% of Americans plan to do half or more of their Christmas shopping online this year.

Although some will be satisfied with their purchases, some will fall victim to vendors peddling bootleg items, that could be harmful.

In 2009, Mississippi lawmakers made it a felony to possess over $5,000.00 worth of counterfeit goods, but bootleggers continue to import fake items into Mississippi.

You can find them almost anywhere, fake Air Jordan's, Ipods, Polo shirts. There's even a bootleg H-1-N-1 flu shot available online.

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood says, "Were trying to make examples of those we catch selling high volume items, some aren't dangerous some are counterfeit blue jeans over the Internet, but the Internet is driving a lot of this stuff."

Hood says prescription drugs from china sold over the net pose great a danger, as well as many electrical items. He used a flat iron as an example.  

There is a way consumers can detect safe products from dangerous, counterfeit ones. Just look for the underwriters laboratory label, found on the packaging or the cord. The real one will have a C for Canada and a US next to it. That means it's certified safe.

Bootleggers have now started putting their own version of the seal on items.

Hood says,"It increases dangers to our consumers, it does billions of dollars worth of loss in tax revenue and these crooks don't pay taxes on stuff they sell particularly over the Internet."

Consumers are urged to carefully examine the packaging of anything they purchase.

If it looks cheap or torn it could be a fake. Also look for misspelled words, especially when shopping online.

Mississippi is now the first state in the country with a dedicated team of investigators tracking and prosecuting bootleggers, formulating a blueprint for a nationwide effort to tackle the problem.