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More Tips to Spot Counterfeit Respirators

Updated May 26, 2021

Before buying respirators from third-party market places or unfamiliar websites, look for the following possible warning signs:

If a listing claims to be “legitimate” and “genuine,” it likely is not.
Look at the transaction history and reviews if possible.
- Most auction sites or third-party distributors have a link to the seller of the item and their past sales.
- Many buyers will leave reviews about their experience or quality of the product.
Are there changes to the items sold over time (high or low periods of transaction?)
- Is the seller marketing the same products over time, or are they mainly selling trending items? Legitimate businesses and suppliers typically sell the same items over time.
- A buyer can view this by looking at the businesses’ other products. Buyers should also be able to learn more about sellers on big online platforms (reviews of the seller).
Are there price changes or swings (Is it too good to be true?)
Look at the quantity a buyer has in stock.
- During a time of shortage, advertising “unlimited stock” could indicate the respirator is not NIOSH approved.
Does the seller break marketplace policy and hide their contact information within images?
- Typical third-party marketplaces require the seller and buyer to interact within an on-site messaging system. Sellers should not try to bypass this system to display personal contact information.

Is the primary contact email address connected to the website or is it a free email account?
- Using a free email service may suggest the seller is not part of the company.
Look for bad grammar, typos, and other errors.
Watch for cookie-cutter websites, where the sellers interchange several websites, making mistakes:
- Mixing up names/logos
- Leaving the site partially undone with dummy text
- Blank pages
- An odd privacy policy page and/or broken links.
- Domain squatting type activity (misspell the domain).