Authorities Seized 1.6 Million Counterfeit Mercedes Parts In 2023

Anis

08 August 2024 at 10:15 AM

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With so many online sales channels available worldwide, Mercedes-Benz counterfeit products are starting to pose a serious threat. Particularly in the digital sphere, the worldwide trade in fake Mercedes-Benz merchandise has grown alarmingly.

In the United States, federal authorities have recently warned of an increase in the sale of dangerous counterfeit airbags. They can appear authentic enough to deceive technicians who install them, putting drivers and passengers at risk.
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The car with the fake brake pads (shown above) has a significantly longer braking distance.

“The counterfeiting industry generates enormous margins and has the structures of organized crime,” explains Renata Jungo Brüngger, Mercedes-Benz’s head of integrity, governance, and sustainability.
The luxury automaker notes that the safety concern was partly responsible for the authorities conducting over 740 raids globally in 2023 (an increase of 20% from 2022 to 2023) and seizing over 1.6 million parts, as the fight against counterfeit Mercedes-Benz products grew more intense. image-full_normal---2024-08-08T101059.332.jpg

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Brake pads after stress test: Counterfeit (left) and original (right).

Notably, it stopped shipments of fake body panels, wheels, steering system components, and brake system parts. After being seized, these parts are destroyed, though in certain instances, investigators were able to track them back to the factory that was producing them.
Use some common sense, advises Mercedes, to identify fake parts. Be wary of prices that seem too good, whether you're purchasing parts to fix a problem in your own garage or getting an estimate from a repair shop.

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“Typical alarm signals to identify potential counterfeit products are significantly lower prices, abnormalities in product quality or sales via dubious (online) sources,” the company says.
However, Mercedes warns that identifying counterfeits in online photos may be impossible. The best defense may still be to use a reputable repair shop in your community.