NEW YORK: US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have seized hundreds of counterfeit smart wristbands in Philadelphia.
The 350 intercepted smart wristbands – copies of the successful Fitbit brand of activity trackers – would have a value of around $35,000 at manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP). The shipment arrived in Philadelphia from Hong Kong on December 4.
“Working with the trademark holder, CBP determined that the 350 smart wristbands were counterfeit, and seized them on January 4,” said CBP in a statement.
“CBP will continue to work closely with our trade and consumer safety partners to identify and seize counterfeit and substandard merchandise, especially those products that pose potential harm to American consumers,” continued Susan Stranieri, CBP Port Director for the area port of Philadelphia.
Counterfeiting is a recognised problem with the Fitbit device and other fitness trackers, with reports on Fitbit forums of customers having problems with products that are “not made or distributed by Fitbit or an authorised Fitbit seller.”
Unauthorised devices cannot tap into the Fitbit network and track their steps, according to some users. A report from anti-counterfeit technology firm OpSec in 2014 suggested that it had found more than 2,000 suspicious, steeply discounted listings for Fitbit devices on trade boards and 70,000 for the rival Jawbone device.
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