Is your NFL gear real? Officials warn of fake merchandise as Super Bowl draws near
TAMPA, Fla. - Local and federal authorities warned football fans Wednesday to look out for counterfeit NFL merchandise.
At a news conference, Steve Francis, director of the National Intellectual Property Exploitation Center, said the big game can mean big money for criminals trying to trick fans into buying fake gear.
"At an event like the Super Bowl, you get the global demand for, in particular, Tampa and the Kansas City Chiefs," Francis said. "You're going to definitely have these individuals seeking an opportunity to sell these counterfeit goods and make a lot of money off of them."
Francis, who was joined by Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan, recommends buying from reputable companies and avoiding sketchy pop-up tents, flea market vendors and street sellers.
Federal authorities say counterfeit merchandise is often shipped to the U.S. from overseas.
"Billions and billions of dollars are lost each year to the US economy. Eighty-five to 90 percent of our counterfeit goods are coming from China or Hong Kong," said Francis. "All those illegal procedures are being laundered into other activities such as drug trafficking, trafficking and forced labor. You name it, all that money is going back into those programs because essentially it's an organized crime network that is taking advantage."
Last year, investigators seized $120 million in counterfeit sports gear. This year, according to Francis, the total is already up to $44 million.
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