The Crisis We Didn’t Know Existed – Fake Parts Sold With Online Retailers
Technology is an amazing thing that can deliver us a lot of different great qualities. For example, most services in the world have never been as convenient as they are today. With the click of a button, we can have almost anything delivered straight to our front doorstep.
The most magical part of it all is that it only takes a matter of seconds. In addition, because anybody can compete in this marketplace, prices can tend to be driven down. This means that the consumer ends up getting a better deal, well, if they’re careful, that is.
As it turns out, wherever there is an opportunity, there are people who get a little bit too opportunistic. These folks take advantage of others with schemes that can be hard to detect. There are a lot of markets where counterfeit goods are obvious. When we think of this, maybe we think of fake sneakers or purses or something like that. It’s not too common that we think of fake car parts flooding the web. However, they appear to be out in force.
Generally, when it comes to replacing a part on a car, original manufacturer parts are regarded as the best. Because of this, they also tend to bring the most money.
Because these parts are more sought-after, believe it or not, there are people who rip them off. Never underestimate what somebody wants to make a quick buck will do. It would appear if you believe the video below, that folks are actually out there passing off fakes as original manufacturer parts. It’s not necessarily anything high dollar either. These cloned parts come with things as simple as a pulley set and a serpentine belt.
By following along with the video below, we check out a simple comparison that caught allegedly fake OEM Toyota parts in their tracks. When we see the comparison between these parts and parts sourced straight from a Toyota dealership, we can see that they’re definitely not the same.
It’s kind of hard to protect yourself from this type of phenomenon unless you buy straight from the dealer. This can get rather pricey. The only thing we have to say here is that if something seems too good to be true online, there’s a good chance it is.
