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Parents warned on fake consoles Parents warned on fake consoles
(about 3 hours later)
Parents are being warned about fake imported Nintendo games consoles which could be a fire hazard and pose a danger to their children's safety.Parents are being warned about fake imported Nintendo games consoles which could be a fire hazard and pose a danger to their children's safety.
HM Revenue & Customs said it had seized hundreds of counterfeit Nintendo DS and DS Lites, which were discovered to contain dangerous power adapters.HM Revenue & Customs said it had seized hundreds of counterfeit Nintendo DS and DS Lites, which were discovered to contain dangerous power adapters.
Several of the consoles were bought from Asian websites and so were not tested to British safety standards.
Nintendo confirmed it had not produced the potentially dangerous adaptors.Nintendo confirmed it had not produced the potentially dangerous adaptors.
Several UK consumers had ordered the consoles after being attracted by the cheaper price. Many had been bought for £40 instead of the usual £100 retail price. Several UK consumers had ordered the consoles after being attracted by the much cheaper price.
Many had been bought for £40 instead of the usual £100 retail price.
'Serious harm''Serious harm'
HOW TO CHECK VALIDITY If a deal is too good to be true, it generally isEnsure product is wrapped in cellophane on receiptCheck it has paperwork and charger is in proper containerCheck there is a guaranteeCheck box for British Safety Standards markIf unsure, contact Trading StandardsBuy from a reputable high-street name
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) warned UK customers to be "vigilant" when purchasing electronic goods from websites.HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) warned UK customers to be "vigilant" when purchasing electronic goods from websites.
HOW TO CHECK VALIDITY If a deal is too good to be true, it generally isEnsure product is wrapped in cellophane on receiptCheck it has paperwork and charger is in proper containerCheck there is a guaranteeCheck box for British Safety Standards markIf unsure, contact Trading Standards
"Buy from a reputable or regulated site, and if purchasing from outside the UK or a new website research the site, check all the facts before you buy," said Pamela Rogers, HMRC's head of intellectual property rights."Buy from a reputable or regulated site, and if purchasing from outside the UK or a new website research the site, check all the facts before you buy," said Pamela Rogers, HMRC's head of intellectual property rights.
Mike Rawlinson, managing director of the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), said that when a deal looks to good to be true "it often is".Mike Rawlinson, managing director of the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), said that when a deal looks to good to be true "it often is".
Speaking to the BBC, HMRC spokesperson Clare Merrills said HMRC had actually received reports of cases where people had been electrocuted by the faulty counterfeit goods. Speaking to the BBC, HMRC spokesperson Clare Merrills warned that faulty counterfeit consoles could be unsafe.
"We've actually had people plugging in the chargers, the charger gets very hot and the wires have started to melt. "You might find you plug it in and the adaptor sets on fire or the wires start to melt and stick out," she warned.
"People have gone to unplug them and then boom, they've got electrocuted." "When you buy these goods, you're not funding our economy, you're actually funding criminals in these far off places and it could be linked to terrorism," she added.
She added: "When you buy these goods, you're not funding our economy, you're actually funding criminals in these far off places and it could be linked to terrorism." Consumers who have received fakes are advised to either contact the companies from which they bought the goods or contact their local Trading Standards office.
She advised consumers who had received fakes to to either contact the companies from which they bought the goods or contact Trading Standards.