ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (WHAT THE TECH?) — Millions of people shopped during the Amazon Prime Day sales this week and online shopping won’t stop there, neither will counterfeit products.

Fakes can be in any category. Personal items like shampoo, and eye drops. Tools, electronics and items for the home among other categories.

Amazon says it removed over seven million fake goods from its storefront in 2023. With most of them, you wouldn’t recognize as counterfeits until it arrives in the mail.

These Apple Airpods I purchased might be real, but they don’t sound quite right. When you’re shopping, pay attention to who’s selling it. Items sold and shipped by Amazon are likely the real deals. But there are millions of third-party sellers. Some may be shipped from Amazon, but the seller is responsible for the authenticity of the items. They also have their own return policies.

Take some time to read reviews. Do not go by the star ratings. This product, sold by a third-party seller, has 100% positive reviews. But look: All of the 1 star reviews have been canceled, boosting the seller’s ratings.

SD cards are easily counterfeited. This buyer recorded video of the card she received and melted in her camera. It looks as though someone placed a sticker over a cheap card to make it look legit.

If you’re shopping with a third-party seller, reading reviews is critical because those sellers have their own return policies. You’ll deal with them and not Amazon.

Trust your gut. Listings for counterfeit products are often much cheaper than those sold by Amazon might be fake.

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