FESTIVE shoppers have been urged to buy gifts from recognised retailers, after council officers confiscated counterfeit perfume from unlicensed street traders in Bolton town centre.
Recently, town centre officers have confronted two sets of rogue traders claiming to be selling legitimate brand-name scents at a fraction of the normal retail cost.
A cursory inspection revealed the items were substandard and potentially dangerous illegal fakes.
Often brought in from abroad before being branded with counterfeit labels in the UK, the knock-off products have been known to contain harmful chemicals.
Fake fragrances may initially look and smell the same, but unlike the genuine article, the scent of these cheap imports will quickly evaporate leaving consumers feeling short changed.
If a fragrance is being sold in the street, from a car boot or in the pub, then it will almost certainly be an illegal fake.
Online auction sites are also proving increasingly popular with fraudsters.
Sellers do not pay the taxes that fund vital public services and counterfeit distribution is linked to organised criminal networks.
Shoppers are instead urged to support their local high street by buying from an established retailer.