Counterfeit car seats being sold through unauthorized retailers: TPD

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TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Police Department is warning parents and caregivers of counterfeit car seats found in Tampa.

What we know:

According to the Tampa Police Department, during a car seat safety check event in early February, certified passenger safety technicians (CPSTs) found a counterfeit car seat bought from the online retailer TEMU. CPSTs took the illegitimate seat and installed a new car seat that meets the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. 

With the growing popularity of online retailers, TPD wanted to send a warning to parents and caregivers that counterfeit car seats pose a serious danger to child passengers. Counterfeit car seats are often made with substandard or unsafe materials, that may lack essential safety features, display fraudulent safety certifications and have not gone through proper crash testing. 

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Dig deeper:

TPD says there are a number of ways to tell if a car seat is legitimate:

• Buy from trusted retailers.
• Check for label stating FMVSS213 compliance.
• Ensure the car seat includes a manufacturer's label, model number and registration card.

What you can do:

Community members are also encouraged to make an appointment with a CPST at the Tampa Police Department, to help verify the seat, check for recalls and ensure proper installation. 

The Tampa Police Department says if you believe you or someone you know has a counterfeit car seat, to stop using the seat immediately and return it to the seller. They also encourage you to report it to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.