Beware Of Bogus Printer Ink

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By By Herb Weisbaum

Summary

It may look like brand name product, but counterfeit printer ink can cause serious problems.

Story Published: Mar 8, 2004 at 4:27 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 1:25 AM PDT

Beware Of Bogus Printer Ink
SEATTLE - Counterfeit ink is a growing problem for computer users.

According to PC World magazine, 5 percent of the ink jet cartridges sold as brand name products are actually bogus."The thing is that consumers don't even know its fake ink because it looks exactly like the real thing," says PC World reporter Tom Spring.

Just to be clear, these are not those third-party ink cartridges that are so popular with people who want to save some money. These are counterfeits masquerading as familiar, trusted, brand-name merchandise. PC World reports that these fake ink cartridges can leak or explode resulting in serious, permanent damage to your printer.

"There is no quality control behind the manufacturing of these counterfeit products," Spring warns.

So, how do you protect yourself? PC World says stick with familiar retailers, online or off, or buy from the manufacturer's web site. Buying from a no-name merchant, offering a unrealistically low-low price, increases your chances of getting burned.

"That's not to say that all of these guys are selling counterfeit ink, not by a long-shot," Spring says,"but that's where we found the most trouble when we did our test buys."

Remember: cheap ink for your printer is no bargain if it's counterfeit and makes lousy copies or damages your machine.

For More Information:

www.pcworld.com