Warning issued over dangerous consolesChristmas could go off with a bangBy Emma Hughes: Friday, 05 December 2008, 11:40 AMBEWARE OF THE FAKE DS, as a warning issued today states that fake games consoles and adaptors are potentially putting consumers’ lives at risk – adding fireworks to the festive season.HM Revenue and Customs warned today that the counterfeit consoles have potentially dangerous power adaptors which could blow-up.Hundreds of the imported consoles have been seized at UK freight depots – these goods had been purchased from a range of web sites mainly in Asia, outlets which claimed that the offending items were “genuine Nintendo products”.Many of the consoles, which are fake versions of the popular Nintendo DS and DS Lite had been bought for around £40, instead of the usual retail price of £100.Nintendo has confirmed that Nintendo DS and DS Lite consoles it had examined were counterfeit, and the power adaptors supplied with the product were not Nintendo manufactured and were, in fact, potentially dangerous, since they had not been electronically tested and do not meet strict UK safety standards.HMRC's Head of Intellectual Property rights Pamela Rogers said, "UK consumers must be vigilant when purchasing goods online. Buy from a reputable or regulated site and, if purchasing from outside the UK or a new website, research the site - check all the facts before you buy.”At best, these consoles would have led to disappointment on Christmas morning; at worst, they could have caused serious harm or injury she continued.Mike Rawlinson, managing director for the trade body of the UK game's industry association, ELSPA, asked all concerned parents to be diligent. "Often when a bargain seems too good to be true it actually is,” he saidCounterfeit goods are more numerous at this time of year, and consumers are more likely to buy them. HMR&C says more needs to be done to mitigate the risks posed by fake goods – as a fake brand t-shirt is one thing, and exploding console is another.
