How to spot counterfeit toys which can be harmful for kids

The South African Toy and Game Association (SATAGA) says there's growing concern to protect against the use of counterfeit toys.

Counterfeit toy products would make 'Lego' and pass it off as if they were 100% original products.

The cheaper knock-offs 'are quite readily available online or in stores,' says Frank.

Frank says counterfeit products undermine consumer trust, damage brand reputations, and lead to significant revenue losses for legitimate companies.

But most of all, they place a risk on children’s safety because most of them are made from toxic materials and substandard manufacturing, hence their sometimes cheaper price tag.

Unoriginal toys which some adults enjoy purchasing to collect might have no value but they're sold as if they were original, disappointing some people.

It's important for the public to know that these counterfeit products exist, how to identify and avoid purchasing them.

Some things to spot in counterfeit toys are:

Examine the toy: does it resemble the original but isn't quite the original, rather copied to look like another toy?
Where are you buying the toy from? It might be better to buy from the original toy store rather than from stores who aren't reputable.
Check the packaging - some might have spelling or graphic errors which is a red flag for counterfeit toys.
Look for legal notices, holographic images, original labels, trademark signs or any signs of the original toy makers - the real deal with have these.
Look at the price - be aware of toys that costs 50% or less - toys which are overly cheap are counterfeit red flags.

Overall, do your research and while we all love a bargain, don't get counterfeited into one, warns Frank.