FBI Warns About Safety Risks from Counterfeit Batteries

The FBI's September 30 warning about online sales of counterfeit batteries focused on the safety risks. The agency emphasized (bit.ly/3CBd2h8) the lack of testing and adherence to standards. It noted that legitimate manufacturers typically provide lists of trusted vendors. It wrote:

"Reputable OEMs will recommend a compatible size and type of battery for different devices. Products using OEMs have gone through multiple tests to warrant specific battery types. Consumers using alternative manufacturers or battery types may be at risk of harmful or negative impacts, such as overheating – which can cause fires or explosions and result in personal injury or property damage – poor battery performance, device damage, or complete product failure."

The FBI urged consumers to be warry of deep discounts, odd packaging, misprinted or poorly adhering labels, and lack of batch numbers. It said that many legitimate manufacturers have more information about spotting fakes. It pointed consumers to the U.S. government's anticounterfeiting sites – stopfakes.gov and iprcenter.gov – as well as to its own internet crime site: www.ic3.gov.