Counterfeit oil filters???!!!

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After doing some reading here it appears that people counterfeit oil filters.

I have a stash of AC Delco PF48 oil filters I bought mostly at Walmart and a few off Amazon.

My question is how does one identify counterfeit oil filters?

Thanks.
 
I would imagine that if buying directly from walmart or amazon specifically (not a vendor selling on there), that your goods should be legit.

From other vendors, who knows.

Have seen counterfeit parts for a LONG time. Probably 10 years ago I recall seeing counterfeit MB parts that had a fake star not only cast into it, but then ground off, because it was sold in a Lemfoerder box instead of an MB box...

Unfortunately, besides junky innards, which are hard to see, or bad finishes, it may be really tough!
 
Comparing OEM to counterfeit is the only way, which would include wording/markings on the can and cutting one open for comparison.
 
Originally Posted By: webfors
Comparing OEM to counterfeit is the only way, which would include wording/markings on the can and cutting one open for comparison.


This is a good explanation, many times the criminals will not get the small details correct, such as brand mark, location of legitimate brand identifying marks, and also production part dates and lot numbers.

If you suspect counterfeit automotive parts call the manufacturer of the legit parts and speak with them also you might want to file a complaint with the FTC.
 
I doubt that anyone would go to the trouble of making an authentic looking conterfeit oil filter.
There just isn't enough margin in the part, especially after you include shipping from China or some other land where such a deed would be considered nothing more nor less than smart business.
A lot of the conterfeits are identical to the original as well, in that the contract manufacturer just keeps the line running for some time after an order is fully produced and then sells the excess at a discount.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I doubt that anyone would go to the trouble of making an authentic looking conterfeit oil filter.
There just isn't enough margin in the part, especially after you include shipping from China or some other land where such a deed would be considered nothing more nor less than smart business.
A lot of the conterfeits are identical to the original as well, in that the contract manufacturer just keeps the line running for some time after an order is fully produced and then sells the excess at a discount.


BMW thinks counterfeit oil filters are a legitimate issue:
 
I think if you get an unopened box at Walmart it will be the real thing. Same from Amazon itself. Both are just too big to deal with counterfeits.

Now buying a M1 filter at BigLots for $4.00 might be another story.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I doubt that anyone would go to the trouble of making an authentic looking conterfeit oil filter.
There just isn't enough margin in the part, especially after you include shipping from China or some other land where such a deed would be considered nothing more nor less than smart business.
A lot of the conterfeits are identical to the original as well, in that the contract manufacturer just keeps the line running for some time after an order is fully produced and then sells the excess at a discount.


Not going to agree about the oil filter cost/profit bit. If I buy a Genuine Land Rover oil filter for my LR3 it is $22. That is from a reputable internet supplier. A Bosch filter is $3.60 at R.A. A Pentius filter is <$2. Seems like a simple relabel could net a decent profit in quantity. People counterfeit fasteners and similar to make very little...quantity!
 
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MAHLE also has an issue with counterfeit filters:

http://www.mahle-aftermarket.com/MAHLE_Aftermarket_EU/en/Examples

Originally Posted By: MAHLE
Examples from practice
TRADEMARK AND PRODUCT PIRACY HARMS MANUFACTURERS, DEALERS AND CUSTOMERS, BRASH PLAGIARISM AND POOR QUALITY FORGERIES ARE NOT JUST DANGEROUS BUT ALSO A GIGANTIC COST FACtOR: THEY EAT UP CAPITAL AND JOBS. NO MANUFACTURER OF POPULAR BRAND PRODUCTS IS SAFE FROM FORGERIES—INCLUDING MAHLE. BUT THE COMPANY HAS ITS WAYS AND MEANS OF PROTECTING ITS OWN TRADEMARKS AND THE BRANDS IT SERVES.
Counterfeit filters: It's all right until you take the wrappings off
A bonanza for counterfeit products. More and more dubious companies copy high-quality products of renowned brands down to the packaging – in the hope, to make easy money by illegally using good names and bad materials. As top-brands, MAHLE Filter and Knecht are not immune to counterfeiting.
Counterfeiting of automotive components is not a harmless crime but a real danger: the examples shown here are not only damaging to the reputation of the copied brands but also to the engine – and therefore to everyone in the supply chain who sells or is fitting such components. However, the counterfeits are not easily recognised – from the outside, the illegal copy is often inconspicuous. This is why our experts have looked inside of two rather impudent counterfeits.


Originally Posted By: MAHLE
The oil filter: The counterfeit is not operational
Tested and not passed
The filter, allegedly an OC 257, which a retailer sent to MAHLE Aftermarket for investigation, did initially not look conspicuous. After a simple scratch test at the printed label matters became more doubtful: the paint could easily be removed with the fingernail.


Quote:
At the left, the original with abrasion resistant printing. At the right, the counterfeit, where the printing could be removed with the fingernail.


36_seite13_119.jpg


Originally Posted By: MAHLE
Missing corrugation: cause for leakage
After opening the filter, a look at the end plate: in the counterfeit the second corrugation is missing. In the original, it serves to reinforce the cover plate to prevent distortion under load which causes the sealing ring to loose its sealing ability.


Quote:
The end plate from the outside: indistinguishable.

37a_seite13_119.jpg


Quote:
But internally the counterfeit lacks the reinforcement corrugation.

38_seite13_119.jpg


Originally Posted By: MAHLE
Filter element: short and bad
Now the actual filter element: this is 10 mm shorter than in the original. This results in about 9 % less filter surface – and therefore less filter performance and reduced dirt pick-up. Furthermore, the element has only 60 pleats instead of 80! The lower number of pleats alone leads to a reduction in filter surface by 25 %. This means that together with the 9 %, the dirt pick-up is reduced by 34 % and the service life is reduced by 34 %.
Also the irregular pleat geometry is noticeable: sections of the filter paper are folded very tightly – just short of block forming. However, in other areas the distances are much too wide. Furthermore, the adhesive bond is missing at some areas between pleat star and metal plate, with the disastrous result that oil is here flowing directly from the dirty side to the clean side!


Quote:
At the left, the original, right the counterfeit: a shorter filter element and irregular pleating.

41_seite13_119.jpg


Quote:
In detail: the pleating is inadequate – and partly not glued on properly.

42_seite13_119.jpg


Originally Posted By: MAHLE
Anti-drain valve: not so clever
A particularly critical part is the seal between the dirty and clean side in the area of the anti-drain valve. In filters of the brands MAHLE and Knecht, the filter element is distinguished by a clean radius that, in connection with a precision moulded rubber part, serves as a perfect anti-drain valve. However, in the counterfeit filter, a sharp metal edge can be seen and the oil is flowing directly pass its sharp, cracked edge – without filtration – from the dirty side to the clean side.


Quote:
The original: a precision seal.

44_seite13_129x119.jpg


Quote:

The counterfeit with sharp, leaky metal edge through which the unfiltered oil can flow.

45_seite13_129x119.jpg


Originally Posted By: MAHLE
In the original, the anti drain valve is made with a precision moulded rubber part. At the right, however, the counterfeit with a simple, punched out rubber disk that does not fit tightly to the sealing surface.
The result: depending on the fitting orientation (filter fitted horizontally or on its head), the filter can drain entirely after the engine is stopped – and it has to be filled again completely at the next start of the engine. Until this happens, the engine is not supplied with the necessary oil (pressure). In the long run, this will lead to increased wear at the different lubrication points in the engine such as crankshaft bearing, camshafts or cylinders.


37_seite13_119.jpg


And there's more in that link.
 
Wow, I just didn't know. I figured that regular oil filters at places like Walmart, Auto Zone, Advance Auto, etc. are pretty inexpensive that by the time you make them that there is no room for profit margin.

For high end import cars like Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Rover, etc., that might charge $20-$30 for an oil filter, there is room for profit.
 
People will counterfeit just about anything. Several years ago, the FDA posted an advisory about counterfeit toothpaste. http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048625.htm

All you can do is buy from trustworthy sources and carefully inspect anything you purchase. This can be difficult... even if you buy from Amazon, you might actually be buying from an independent seller (this will be listed on the page, but it is easy to miss especially if you don't know about it).

To tell if something is real or fake, you can carefully compare the labeling, packaging, and weight to a known legitimate product (such as a filter purchased in person from a dealer). Look for misspelled words, different fonts, and other subtle differences. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer with pictures... they might be willing to help, as most will be interested in getting information about any counterfeit products being sold so they can try to do something about it.
 
The box of PF48s I got from Amazon were not from an individual seller but rather they were sold by Amazon.com LLC. Amazon is a huge company so I I would imagine they would not have anything to do with fake merchandise. The other filters were bought from Walmart off the shelf in automotive.
 
Originally Posted By: stchman
The box of PF48s I got from Amazon were not from an individual seller but rather they were sold by Amazon.com LLC. Amazon is a huge company so I I would imagine they would not have anything to do with fake merchandise. The other filters were bought from Walmart off the shelf in automotive.


Only IF they knew there were fake. It's possible a place like Amazon could still pass on counterfeit merchandise, or let a vendor sell throug them not knowing he is selling counterfeit merchadise.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I doubt that anyone would go to the trouble of making an authentic looking conterfeit oil filter.
There just isn't enough margin in the part, especially after you include shipping from China or some other land where such a deed would be considered nothing more nor less than smart business.
A lot of the conterfeits are identical to the original as well, in that the contract manufacturer just keeps the line running for some time after an order is fully produced and then sells the excess at a discount.


I actually saw a counterfeit Fram oil filter way back in the early 80s. I guess at that time, there probably wasn't the market for premium filters, so you may as well copy the basic Fram.
Anyway, the center tube of this Fram filter was made from a peach can from China. The filter had failed, was taken apart, and there was a picture of a peach on the outside of the tube and the writing of it was in Chinese. I should have taken pictures of it and I should have kept it, but it was just one of those things where you laugh about it and shrug your shoulders.
During that same time, there was a guy who worked out of a van that sold Ford ignition control modules. (These were the ones that were color coded and the plastic tabs on them were blue, black, yellow, brown, etc.) Except these were counterfeit Motorcraft ignition modules, and poor copies at that. We never bought from the guy and finally told him to never come back.
 
I've seen counterfeit Motorcraft and AC parts as far back as the 1970's. They were pretty obvious as well and not hard to detect like today.

Remember the Motorcraft part boxes with the red streaking GT40 and "Motorcraft" on the box? The counterfeit boxes had a no-name convertable facing the opposite direction instead of the GT40 and the box read, "Motorcar".

Counterfeit AC fuel filters like the GF61 came in boxes that just had a red circle without the "AC" in it.

Recently, I've heard of some counterfeit MSD ignition boxes and parts being sold by name brand retailers.
 
Originally Posted By: stchman
For high end import cars like Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Rover, etc., that might charge $20-$30 for an oil filter, there is room for profit.

In certain instances, the retailer shares some of the blame. There are plenty of reputable suppliers for OEM European filters where the price is well under these $20 examples. Occasionally, a dealer is just marking up a filter ridiculous amounts and thinks they can get away with it. Yet, anyone with access to Worldpac (or even Altrom) pricing knows such pricing is way out of line.
 
I think the counterfeits are mostly intended for market outside North America or the countries where there is product scrutiny by the govts or the industry. These eBay or Amazon fly-by-nites hit when they can here but often in the isolation of a far off country in which they can avoid prosecution or from a business so small they can just sidestep the minimal scrutiny that comes with selling a small number of filters here and there. They close up shop and open under another name.

Sometimes it's just a schlub that falls into what he things is a great deal on a large lot of filters, which he doesn't know are counterfeit, and he tries to supplement his income.
 
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