10 WAYS TO HELP YOU AVOID PURCHASING COUNTERFEIT CANON PRODUCTS

1Purchase genuine Canon power accessories and ink and toner consumables from Canon Authorized Dealers* or from the Canon Online Store in your territory.

2Be careful when buying through foreign sites, online marketplaces and/or through social media.

Counterfeiters often misrepresent themselves, their home location and their products. Read seller profiles and offer details carefully when shopping at online marketplaces to try to learn who is the actual seller and where the seller is located. Carefully review sales solicitations through social media. You may not be able to view details about products clearly or know who you are buying from based on an online post.

3If you see a power accessory or consumable that has a price that's too good to be true, often that's a sign it might be a fake.

Before you grab a deal, keep in mind what a counterfeit battery or flash could do to your camera, your property or you. Be wary of buying super cheap ink or toner that could be counterfeit, give you subpar print results, or potentially even leak and damage your printer. It's also important for you to know that Canon is not responsible or liable for malfunctions, damages or injuries caused by using non-Canon products, including counterfeit products.

4Sometimes, you can "judge a book by its cover."

Genuine power accessories and ink and toner consumables are packaged in high quality blister packs or cardboard boxes. Canon's genuine retail packaging bears the Canon brand and our anti-counterfeiting hologram. Be aware that fake packaging may contain fake holograms. Canon does not currently sell its power accessories or consumables loose or in clear plastic or bubble wrap. If you are offered an accessory or consumable in this kind of packaging, it may be a counterfeit product.

5Many counterfeiters will offer free shipping, discounts and/or other benefits if you are willing to buy loose, unpackaged power accessories or consumables. These sorts of offers may be a red flag that the accessory or consumable might be counterfeit.

6Check to make sure your battery fits easily into your device.

If you find that you have a hard time putting your battery into, or taking it out of your camera, camcorder or charger, it may be fake.

7Check for overheating.

Unlike genuine Canon products, counterfeit batteries, chargers, and external flashes may not follow industry safety standards and may overheat, melt, smoke, ignite, and/or explode, when in use.

8Make sure your battery holds a charge.

When you buy a replacement battery, the battery's life should be the same as the original battery that came with your camera or camcorder. If it's not, you may have a counterfeit battery.

9Compare logos for consistency.

When you buy a replacement battery, charger, or external flash, compare the logo on it with the logo on your original product. It may seem like a small detail, but manufacturers apply their logos with great care. Compared to the original, a fake logo may look sloppy, blurry or misplaced.

10Check for print quality and performance.

Counterfeit ink and toner consumables may have a lower print yield and cause inferior printer performance. If you see streaking, faded ink quality or leakage when you are using a new toner or ink cartridge that is inconsistent with what you have come to expect as typical Canon print quality, you may be using a counterfeit consumable.