A reader named Megan noticed an unfamiliar charge for $9.87 from prophotosland.com on her WaMu credit card statement, so she began to investigate it.
fake
Ticketmaster's Facebook Page Is Full Of Fake Friends
By 4.21.08
With over 150,000 fans, Ticketmaster’s Facebook page is one of the most popular. Too bad most of its friends’ profiles are fake.
By 4.1.08
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Here’s how the Newegg email address was spoofed on the Creative forum over the weekend: Creative has a security protocol in place where you have to verify your email address before you can post. However, after you publish a post you can go back and change your address to anything you like. You won’t be able to verify the spoofed address and therefore won’t be able to post anything new—but anything you already posted will now display the spoofed address. Maybe you can get Daniel_K to fix your forum boards, Creative. (Thanks to Jawaad!)
NYC Cracks Down On Stores That Sell Fake Luxury Items
By 2.27.08
Like fake designer handbags and watches? We have bad news.
Walmart Pulls Superbad DVD Featuring Fake Hawaii "McLovin" License
By 12.7.07
Walmart has pulled copies of the Superbad DVD that contained a promotional “McLovin” Hawaii license after Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann objected to the item. The “license” appears to be made with a lenticular lens, and when viewed at different angles shows either Fogell or his ever-sexy alter-ego, “McLovin.”
Knockoff Products Smuggled Into The U.S. Labeled "Refrigerated Noodles"
By 12.6.07
Federal agents have announced that they’ve busted a smuggling ring that brought hundreds of millions of dollars worth of knockoff products into the US, says the NYT.
Fake Brake Pads Made Of Kitty Litter? Knockoffs Can Be Dangerous
By 12.5.07
Consumer Reports warns us that knockoffs aren’t just found on the streets of NYC, where peddlers push fake Gucci and Prada bags to giggling tourists. There are now “brake pads made of kitty litter, sawdust, and dried grass; power strips, extension cords, and smoke alarms with phony Underwriters Laboratories (UL) marks; medical test kits that give faulty readings; toothpaste made with a chemical found in antifreeze; and cell-phone batteries that could explode. Online drugstores claiming to operate from Canada but actually based in other countries have peddled “Lipitor” and “Celebrex” pills stored under uncontrolled conditions and containing the wrong active ingredients.”
National Christmas Tree Association Says Real Trees Are "Green"
By 11.23.07
Apparently there’s some debate about whether or not it’s more eco-friendly to buy a real Christmas tree every year or a fake one once every billion years or so.
FCC Proposes $4,000 Fine On Comcast For Broadcasting "Fake News"
By 9.25.07
The FCC, always a source of amusement for this website, has decided to crack down on Comcast for broadcasting VNRs or “Video News Releases.” VNRs are produced by PR firms for use as filler by lazy TV news producers. It’s a great deal for TV: They get free content and don’t have to deal with the pressure of doing their jobs properly, and the company gets product placement. Consumers are the only losers.
Jeweler Caught Selling Fake Tiffany Items
By 8.6.07
Tiffany said that according to the judgment issued by a federal court in New York, Starglam Inc., and its principal, John Shamir, should not engage in any further counterfeiting of Tiffany-branded items or infringing on its trademark.
Reporter Arrested For Faking Cardboard Bun Story
By 7.19.07
Chinese authorities have arrested a Beijing TV reporter for “faking” the cardboard bun story, according to the AP. The report by Beijing TV claimed that an unlicensed snack vendor had been serving buns filled with cardboard softened with caustic soda and flavored with pork.
Fake Toxic Colgate Still On Store Shelves
By 6.18.07
The Herald News of New Jersey conducted an informal survey of local dollar stores and found that 4 out of 9 were still selling fake Colgate toothpaste flavored with a toxic chemical more commonly found in antifreeze. The FDA reminds you:
The counterfeit toothpaste can be easily recognized because it is labeled as “Manufactured in South Africa.” Colgate does not import toothpaste into the United States from South Africa. In addition, the counterfeit packages examined so far have several misspellings including: “isclinically” “SOUTH AFRLCA” “South African Dental Assoxiation”.
Colgate did not manufacture the fake toothpaste and claims that the health risk of the counterfeit paste is minimal.
Costco Caught Selling Fake Conor Oberst Autographed Guitars
By 4.12.07
We’re as flummoxed as you are, but yeah, Costco is apparently selling these things for a cool $899.99 (shipping and handling included!). The “Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes Signed Acoustic Guitar” features such eye- and ear-catching attributes as “rich, full tone,” a “natural spruce top,” a “rosewood bridge,” and “cream binding on the body and neck [that] adds crisp style.” It also features a scribble of a signature allegedly from Conor himself on its face.
Conor’s PR people denied that anyone had signed anything for Costco and the guitars were swiftly pulled from the website. Apparently, Conor Oberst is some kind of music-making person. He seems very well regarded among his own kind. —MEGHANN MARCO
Fake AT&T Workers Steal From Unsuspecting Customers
By 3.26.07
According to Lt. Thomas Stacho of the Cleveland Police Department, three men claiming to work for the phone company knocked on the door of an an elderly couple living in an apartment on Payne Avenue.
Tax Tip: Watch Out For Fake IRS Sites
By 3.15.07
The IRS issued an official warning to consumers to watch out for fake IRS sites. The only official IRS website is IRS.gov. Any sites ending with .com, .net, or any other common extension are not official IRS sites.
Fake Vehicle Warranty Renewal Card Confuses Consumers
By 2.7.07
It was marked as an “IMPORTANT VEHICLE NOTIFICATION” and advised us to call a toll free number and have our current milage available. It warned that this was “DATED MATERIAL” and we needed to “RESPOND IMMEDIATELY”. The return address was from the “Warranty Notification Dept.”
Furniture Tags Lie About Materials
By 11.21.06
“The federal government used to set specific standards for furniture labeling, but dropped the rules four years ago after the industry complained the standards were outdated.”
