Toronto, Ontario — Most counterfeit parts sales occur online, says Teena Bohi, senior brand protection analyst at Toyota North America.
On June 11, Guild 21 hosted a webinar featuring Bohi, Abe Jardines, special agent and national program manager for the U.S. Homeland Security; William “Andy” Forsythe, brand protection and dealer parts loyalty manager for Nissan North America and John Lancaster, national wholesale parts manager for Subaru of America.
During the online event Bohi warned viewers that the digital market introduces more hiding places for shady parts sellers.
“There’s a lot of things you can hide behind online,” she told the audience. “We see a lot of cases where these sellers are assembling these assorted parts and pieces—sometimes in their homes or garages.”
Lancaster reiterated that every part can be counterfeited—from windshield glass to key fobs.
The best way bodyshops can both ensure a part’s authenticity and curb the spread of counterfeit components is to “know your source,” says Lancaster, and report any counterfeit parts to the Automotive Anti-Counterfeit Council, known as A2C2.
Due to the popularity of the event, Guild 21 will host another session on the same topic next month—a decision the organizers made during the webinar due to the audience’s interest. More details will be available in the coming weeks.
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