We tend to think of counterfeits as knockoffs of luxury items — a handbag or watch — or cheap items that break or stop working. But we don’t always think about the consequences of counterfeit products, particularly when it comes to rechargeable electronics powered by lithium-ion batteries. Unfortunately, consumers often don’t see the risk until it’s too late.
Today, almost everything in our homes is rechargeable. Phones, toothbrushes, doorbells, toys, bikes — all powered by lithium-ion batteries. Legitimate companies invest time and energy into making batteries that meet strict safety standards. Counterfeiters don’t. Their objective is profit. The result: poorly made batteries that are more likely to go into thermal runaway, a state of overheating that can lead to fire or even explosion — and flames that are far harder to extinguish than a normal fire.
One-Star Reviews Reveal the Dangers of Rechargeable Fakes
The warnings aren’t hypothetical. One online retailer reviewer reported that a knockoff camera battery exploded while their 10-year-old was home alone. Other reviews said an electric lighter “burned up just setting on the table,” that a reading light “exploded while being charged,” and that a handheld spotlight battery “exploded out the end of the flashlight.” Another said “our house almost caught fire” because of a “completely unacceptable battery explosion” in a remote-controlled toy car. And a review of a set of children’s walkie-talkies showed a melted USB cord and charred battery, with the writer saying, “I’m so glad I was home and nearby when they caught fire.”
These near-misses are underreported but prove there are far more devastating consequences than a one-star review.
Consumers Are Fooled… But Not Always Dissuaded
of surveyed participants had knowingly purchased a counterfeit
Most consumers are not intentionally buying counterfeits — at least initially. A Michigan State University survey of 13,000 people across 17 countries found that two-thirds of consumers had purchased a counterfeit, often without realizing it.
Yet 38% of those who discovered they’d been duped decided to keep the counterfeit anyway — because the price seemed worth the risk. In another survey, UL Standards & Engagement found that 29% of participants had knowingly purchased a counterfeit — likely because of the significant difference in price from the real thing.
The AI Race Between Counterfeiters and Enforcement
Some consumers may feel they are too savvy to be fooled, but counterfeiters are getting more sophisticated. Where tell-tale signs like blurry photos or misspellings and grammatical mistakes used to tip off shoppers, AI-generated images and professional-looking online storefronts make fakes harder to distinguish.
On the enforcement side, many retailers are turning to AI to help fight fakes. They are using image recognition and text analysis to spot inconsistencies, tracking suspicious behavior of sellers like unusual shipping or fulfilment methods, and monitoring consumer reviews for dangerous failures like batteries catching fire.
Law enforcement is also using AI to stop counterfeits, analyzing shipping data and cargo images to stop suspicious items before they enter the market. In 2024 alone, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized more than 32 million counterfeit goods.
What Shoppers Can Do to Help Protect Themselves
Even with the energy going into taking down millions of fake products a year, it’s a game of whack-a-mole. Where one seller goes down, it returns under a new name or in another form. Consumers have options to better protect themselves against the consequences of dangerous counterfeits.
- Prioritize products that meet safety standards. Look for certification marks that show a product has been tested to safety standards. These products have been through rigorous testing to help protect the safety of your home and family.
- Be cautious of an unbelievable deal. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Buying from trusted retailers and digging in on product reviews — especially those lower ratings — can help reveal if the price is hiding the truth.
- Choose replacement batteries and chargers from the original manufacturer. Counterfeit batteries have been the culprits of countless lithium-ion batteries, and many of these stories start the same way — with a consumer buying an inexpensive replacement battery that reportedly fit their device.
Knockoff products are not a victimless crime. They are real and underestimated safety threats that could make you the victim.
To address these issues, ULSE and its longstanding partners at the global police agency Interpol are joining forces with law enforcement agencies around the world this month at the annual International Law Enforcement Intellectual Property Crime Conference. Together, we hope to work to highlight illegal activity that often hides in plain sight and goes far beyond the cost of intellectual property.
