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FAKE CAR PART SCAM: Have you been hit?

Counterfeit spark plugs with the potential to destroy engines are at the centre of an automotive industry sting, with the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) saying that 60 per cent of spark plugs bought online are designed to fool customers. A spokesman for FCAI said that spark plugs that are sold as genuine Honda, Mazda or Toyota items have the potential to “melt and cause extreme engine damage”. Tony Weber, chief executive for the FCAI, says motorists and technicians should be careful when sourcing automotive parts. However, representatives of these popular car brands said that they have no records of fake spark plugs ruining engines in recent months. There have been a variety of fake parts seized in Australia, including wheels that shatter when they hit a pothole, brake pads made of asbestos and oil filters that don’t protect engines from damage. There are also examples from overseas, which include brake pads made from compressed grass. Avoiding a fake can be tricky, but Mr Weber has a word of warning. “The best way to avoid a fake? Make certain your parts are purchased from the authorised dealer network,” Mr Weber said. “We have experts examining the packaging and spark plugs and even they can barely tell the difference. You won’t know it’s a fake, until it’s too late.”

Money & Banking

Can you spot the glaring differences on this $50 note?

Police have warned people to check any notes they receive after counterfeit $50 bills were found in circulation. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The ACT Police revealed that there were “quite distinctive” differences between the real notes and the fake ones. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Can you spot the three obvious differences? <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: center; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7e5f0bef2a654f9ab90b3a45db795229" /><img style="width: 500px; height:375px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820185/1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7e5f0bef2a654f9ab90b3a45db795229" /> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The most obvious difference is that the counterfeit note has blue Chinese characters printed where the clear window should be. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The fakes also don’t have serial numbers and other security features that normal $50 bills have. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">There are also two lines that run through the zero in the top right of the bank note, which should not be there. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The counterfeit notes appear to be training banknotes from overseas and are similar to those that were used across the country in 2017. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">ACT Policing Detective Acting Superintendent Jason Kennedy said it was important for people to get into the habit of checking their notes to make sure they are not fake. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">“If you don’t think a banknote you’ve been presented with is genuine, then don’t accept it,” he said. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">“These notes in particular are easily detected as being fake from the briefest inspection, if you take the time to look at them.” <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">“If you do receive what you believe to be a counterfeit banknote, try to handle it as little as possible to preserve evidence. Note the description of the person who gave it to you and contact police on 131 444.” <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Have you ever received a counterfeit note? If so, tell us about your experience in the comments below.

Legal

How to spot a fake banknote every time

Outsmart the counterfeiters and make sure you never get stuck holding a stack of funny money. Counterfeiting has been around since the invention of currency as criminals try to create something out of nothing. The problem today is that counterfeiters are using the latest technology (often the same kind that is used by genuine money printers) and they are creating a product that is almost impossible to identify. Differences vary between the currencies, but there are a few common things to watch out for. Look for poor print quality with blurred images or indistinct edges. Paper quality is important and counterfeit bills will often be thicker than real ones. Genuine bills will also have coloured fibres woven into the paper rather than printed on it. Run your fingers over the images or logos on the bills to check for ridges or raised lines. These are hard to replicate and generally won’t appear on counterfeit bills. Here are some specific tips for finding fake notes in common currencies. Australian dollar <ul> <li>Hold the note up to the light and you should be able to see the Australian coat of arms in the paper and a seven-pointed star will become visible in the circle.</li> <li>Feel for raised ink used on the dark areas of printing.</li> </ul> US dollar <ul> <li>Hold a magnet over the denomination number in the bottom corners of the note. A genuine bill will move with the force of the magnet.</li> <li>The outside border should be clear and unbroken.</li> <li>Check the serial number against the Federal Reserve Seal. The letter (from A to L) inside the seal must match the first letter of the serial number.</li> </ul> Japanese yen <ul> <li>Notes are printed with a hologram of the Japanese cherry blossom. The hologram should change colour when the note is tilted.</li> <li>Look at the note from an angle and you should be able to see the value on the bottom left of the front side and the word NIPPON on the top right of the back.</li> <li>Under ultraviolet light, the Governor’s seal will glow orange.</li> </ul> Canadian dollar <ul> <li>The metallic portrait of the Queen and a building underneath her should both be transparent. The maple leaf to the left of the Queen should also be transparent.</li> <li>The metallic image of the building should change colour when the note is tilted.</li> </ul> Euro <ul> <li>Tilt the note and the large numbers of the denomination will change colour.</li> <li>Run your fingers over the note to feel for small bumps of raised print. It should feel similar to an Australian note.</li> </ul> Have you ever run into counterfeit money while you’ve been travelling? Or have you fallen victim to any other type of travel scam? Let us know in the comments. Related links: <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/06/10-secret-travel-tips-that-will-save-you-money/">10 secret travel tips that will save you money</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2016/06/7-tips-for-healthy-eating-while-travelling/">7 tips for healthy eating while travelling</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2016/03/how-to-keep-money-safe-while-travelling/">How to keep your money safe while travelling</a>

Travel Tips

10 tips to avoid counterfeit products overseas

When it comes to shopping overseas, if an offer seems too good to be true often that’s because it is. And while that Gucci handbag you purchased for 20 Euros might seem like savvy shopping, there comes a time where you do have question the discount. Counterfeit products are a real problem, and are often manufactured illegally. We’re going to take a look at 10 tips for spotting fake things while travelling. This way you can ensure your valuable travel dollars are only going towards the real deal. 1. Shop at reputable retailers At times it’s be difficult to determine which retailers are more reliable than others, but if you’re concerned about counterfeit goods it’s best to avoid the discount shops. 2. Be wary about items purchased from markets While local markets are a great place to get unique souvenir, if you ever see a brand named product at a market stall you’re correct to question its legitimacy. 3. Examine the product before buying This is particularly important for products like electronics. Examine the corners and lines of a product before purchasing and check for any signs of shoddy manufacturing. 4. Look out for logos and certification marks Familiarising yourself with the size, sign and shape of logos and certification marks generally provides a good way of determining if a product is in fact counterfeit. 5. Red flags in their marketing Shady retailers generally overuse words like, “genuine”, “real” and “authentic” in their marketing for products, so make sure you keep an eye out for these buzzwords. 6. Check in the box If everything that should be there isn’t there then that’s a sign that the product you’re purchasing is not the real deal. This is particularly true for items like owner’s manuals. 7. Ask for a receipt If you’re not sure the retailer you’re shopping at is on the level, ask for a receipt. If they won’t give you one, or incorrectly implement sales tax, that’s a bad sign. 8. Observe the salesperson If the salesperson is using high pressure tactics like telling you the product is heavily discounted and the offer won’t last long, that’s a sign it could be counterfeit. 9. Check for errors in the labelling Sometimes hastily made counterfeit products will feature labelling that has spelling and grammar mistakes, so make sure you keep an eye out on the packaging. 10. Train your eyes Key details like zippers, buttons and hems are all indicators of whether a product is real or not. By constantly scouring these details, you can get a good sense how real a product is. Have you arranged your travel insurance yet? Tailor your cover to your needs and save money by not paying for things you don’t need. <a href="https://elevate.agatravelinsurance.com.au/oversixty?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=content&utm_content=link1&utm_campaign=travel-insurance" target="_blank">To arrange a quote, click here.</a> For more information about Over60 Travel Insurance, call 1800 622 966. Related links: <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/04/how-to-carry-important-travel-documents/">The best way to carry travel documents</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/04/10-usa-destinations-with-spectacular-scenery/">10 USA destinations with spectacular scenery</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/04/airline-premium-economy-ticket-value/">Is a premium economy ticket ever worth it?</a>

Travel Tips

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