It may still be November, but there are only a few short weeks left until Christmas, and while gift shopping may well be slightly different this year with non-essential shops closed and more people picking presents online, Christmas shoppers are still warned to lookout for seasonal scams. Criminals are still exploiting shoppers unbeknown to them.
In the run up to Christmas, Seized! The Border & Customs Uncovered gallery will display examples of fake, popular gifts and the dark and unseen dangers that come with them.
One of the Seized! gallery’s key themes is anti-smuggling. This includes detective work, crime fighting, patrolling frontiers and investigation. In uncovering this story, visitors will learn about the clever tactics used by the criminals, as well as discovering methods used to capture them.
The fake Christmas gift items on display were discovered by Border Force officers, and each has a unique story of how officers did their job. Found at the basement of Merseyside Maritime Museum, this gallery includes objects such as fake headphones, a mobile phone, as well as designer trainers, toys and perfume.
Steve Butler, Curator of Border Force Museum said: “The appeal of buying fake goods is the price. They are a lot cheaper and are made to look similar, but what the shoppers don’t realise, is that these cheaper options can be dangerous. When inspecting some of the fake products, Border Force officers found evidence of lice, and that many did not meet EU standard regulations, making them extremely unsafe for use. These are not gifts anyone would want to find under their Christmas tree.
“Naturally, people will be relying on online shopping more than ever this year. We want our visitors to think about the additional risks of buying their gifts online. If the price seems too good to be true, it usually is. Be especially cautious with third-party sellers and use trusted retailers where possible as they are guaranteed to meet UK safety standards. Fake items come with an unseen cost, and unbeknown to the buyer, can result in funding criminal activity.”
The 12 fakes of Christmas include:
- Apple iPhone
- Rolex Watch
- Chanel trainers
- Dr Dre Beats headphones
- MAC Makeup
- Canada Goose coat
- Chanel Perfume
- Givenchy t-shirt
- Moschino bag
- Chanel pearl necklace
- Nintendo games console
- Viviene Westwood jewellery
Discover more at Seized!, the national museum of the Border Force. Visitors can enter the world of the Customs officer – a dark and unseen world of intrigue and danger.
Find out more at www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/seized
If you are unable to visit National Museums Liverpool, you can have the whole museum or exhibition to yourself. Explore our museums in the comfort of your home with online 3D virtual tours – you can discover the many wonders of National Museums Liverpool’s galleries and museums https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/virtual-tours.
