The experts tell me there is a rising number of counterfeit car seats being sold online. I spoke with Consumer Reports about how to spot fake car seats and what you should look for to make sure your child or grandchild is safe.
“Unfortunately, we are seeing more of these counterfeit car seats across online marketplaces, often through third party retailers, so not through the manufacturers themselves, but other retailers that are selling them online,” said Emily Thomas, manager of auto safety at Consumer Reports. “And parents just don’t know that they’re receiving a product that isn’t safely regulated. It’s not regulated for use and allowed for sale in the U.S.”
Thomas said counterfeit car seats could be missing key safety components.
“It hasn’t been tested and certified against the regulatory standards for car seats in the U.S., so there’s no baseline for safety that had to be met for it. You don’t know what the seat is lacking, so it’s really a dangerous situation for your child,” said Thomas. “Parents are trying to do their best, they’re trying to find the best car seat available to them at an affordable price, and unfortunately these counterfeit seats are really preying on that.”
“Whenever possible, I would strongly recommend using a trusted retailer. Even on places like Amazon and Walmart, you want to make sure the seat is coming from the manufacturer itself,” said Thomas. “Once your seat does arrive, there’s some key things to look for that will automatically tell you if the seat that you have is actually safe to use and is a genuine car seat that’s for sale in the U.S.”
Check the label on the car seat carefully to make sure it’s compliant with federal safety standards.
“There’s labeling on the seat that has very specific regulated language that says, ‘This restraint system conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards. This restraint is certified for use in all motor vehicles and aircraft,’” said Thomas. “It means that it’s been tested to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213, which is the standard for car seats. You also want to make sure there are basic instructions for the car seats’ use on the seat and in the car seat manual.”
“You should be able to find the manufacturer’s name and contact information, as well as the date of manufacture. That information is what allows you to receive notifications when the seat is recalled. It’s a key component and it’s part of the regulation,” said Thomas. “If you don’t see any of those things, I would return that seat. I would not use it. You can file a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to notify them that this is indeed a counterfeit seat.” You can file a complaint at NHTSA.gov.
Finally, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment is warning about an increase in email scams being sent to active and former unemployment insurance claimants. If you get an email that you didn’t request that is asking you to reset your password, ignore the email. Log in from the official website and verify your contact information is correct. If your information has been altered, reset your password. If you see a payment that has gone into an account that is not yours, fill out a fraud form on the state’s website at CDLE.Colorado.gov, and click Report Fraud. If you are the victim of unemployment fraud, you should also reach out to the three credit bureaus to put a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number.
