Counterfeit tablet scams grow as CES gets underway

Brand protection vendor OpSec Security has warned that buyers need to be leery of any counterfeit tablet computers, especially in light of the hundreds of models that have surfaced during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) currently underway.

The security firm points to several ecommerce sites, including Made-in-China, TradeKey, EC21 and others, as major sources for fake tablet schemes. These storefronts, OpSec notes, are "anonymous yet attractive venues for counterfeiters to sell illicit goods in bulk at suspiciously low prices."

There are several steps a buyer can take to avoid being scammed. Knowing the tablet model's colors and other features is a good start. Buyers should also see if a warranty is included, as most legitimate electronics manufacturers offer some sort of coverage for their devices.

Finally, OpSec says, buyers should recognize that if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

As the popularity of tablet computers continues to grow, the likelihood that scammers will look to exploit this trend increases as well. Experts warn that tablet buyers should be cautious when shopping for a new device and make purchases from legitimate sources whenever possible.