Buyer beware.
Never has that been more true than right now.
With so many “Black Friday” offers available online would-be purchasers need to be ultra cautious.
In Los Angeles this week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and import specialists assigned to the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport announced the seizure of over 3,000 counterfeit Gibson guitars with a retail value, had they been genuine, of over $18 million US.
Gibson confirmed that the guitars intercepted were in fact counterfeit, noting that legitimate Gibson guitars are only made in the US.
“These fraudulent guitars may look and feel legitimate for unsuspecting consumers buying them from third party online sources, street markets, unauthorized retailers, and person-to-person transactions,” said Cheryl M. Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles.
“As we approach the busy holiday shopping season, consumers should pay attention to where they are buying these goods and how much they are paying, and if is too good to be true it probably is.”
The manufacturers were pleased with the seizure.
“We are grateful for the hard work that our US CBP officers, HSI special agents, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigators are doing to stop counterfeiting,” said Cesar Gueikian, CEO of Gibson.
“Our partnership is designed to help every agency work together to protect consumers and our fans from being misled into counterfeits. This announcement gives us hope that we are on the right track, working together as partners.
“To our music lovers and customers, no matter which American brand you decide buy, always buy direct from the source, or from authorized dealers. Our pledge is to protect the consumer and give them the tools to make the journey of playing guitar and making music the most amazing experience.”
Gibson is this year celebrating its 130th birthday.
Image: Mani Albrecht, Audio Visual Production Specialist US Customs and Border Protection Office of Public Affairs
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