Cheap imitations: tool counterfeiting hits U.S., contractors warned to buy from reps

Building Products, March-April, 2004

Buy a bargain-priced tool out of the trunk of a car and your real deal can turn into a raw deal.

The Power Tool Institute (PTI) is warning that people impersonating sales representatives of major power tool makers are selling products from brands such as Bosch, Hilti, DeWalt, Makita, and Milwaukee at low prices under the ruse that they are samples from trade shows. In addition, some of the counterfeits are showing up on Internet auction sites.

PTI warns that the imitation tools can be poor quality and possibly dangerous because they are not tested or approved--despite sometimes having UL stickers.

PTI suggests that the best way to avoid being scammed is to buy tools only from reputable retailers and distributors. Suspicious activity should be reported to local authorities and to the manufacturers; their contact information is listed at www.powertoolinstitute.com.