The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries has again warned of the risks associated with counterfeit car parts, as the volume triples compared to pre-pandemic levels.

In a recent statement, Daimler Head of Legal Product Intellectual Property Florian Adt said that over 550 raids had shown a significant increase in the volume of seizures with online vendors.

“… All in all, we were able to have 138,000 fake products removed from online platforms. This is around three times as many as during the same period before the pandemic.”

FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber advises that manufacturers are concerned many Australian motorists do not understand the dangers that come with using counterfeit parts.

“Car manufacturers spend years developing quality parts to the highest standards, in line with Australian design and safety rules. Data from trade association Unifab indicates that counterfeit parts achieve higher profit margins than illegal drugs.”

Over 1.7 million parts were confiscated by a single brand in 2020.

“Australian motorists cannot purchase counterfeit parts without putting themselves, their passengers and other road users at risk,” Mr Weber continued.

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To combat the use of counterfeit parts, the FCAI launched Genuine is Best. The campaign works closely alongside industry and the Australian Border Force to train frontline officers in the recognition and seizure of counterfeit vehicle parts.

Australian motorists who suspect they have been sold a counterfeit part should submit a report for investigation at https://genuineisbest.com.au/report-suspicious-parts.

Source: FCAI – Genuine is Best | Counterfeit car part market flourishes amid pandemic

30 September 2021