A routine child car seat check in Tampa turned up something police say no parent ever wants to hear about: a convincing counterfeit seat that would likely crumble in a crash. Certified technicians spotted the problem during a recent safety event after a closer look at a unit purchased from an online marketplace. While this specific seat was reportedly sourced through Temu, the Tampa Police Department is warning that such counterfeits are part of a growing trend of dangerous knockoffs sold across various third-party platforms..
The technicians pulled the questionable seat out of use on the spot and replaced it with a model that meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 213, as reported by Tampa Free Press. What set off alarms were missing labels and unusually thin harness webbing, details that tipped experts off that the seat was not the real deal. Tampa police say counterfeit seats are typically built with substandard materials and can carry fake certification stickers, and they are urging families to stop using any seat they suspect might be counterfeit and return it to the seller or manufacturer when possible.
The Tampa Police Department runs a Child Safety Seat Program staffed by Certified Passenger Safety Technicians who can confirm whether a seat is authentic and help parents install it correctly. Residents can book appointments and check recent recalls through the city’s program page, Tampa Police Department. The page also directs families to federal tools and resources if they are worried about a seat they already bought.
Online marketplaces and knockoffs
Investigations and expert checks have turned up cheap lookalike car seats on major online marketplaces, sometimes sold through third-party listings, a trend documented by People. Safety specialists say these listings can feature fake or missing FMVSS labels, made-up or absent serial numbers, and instruction manuals that do not actually match the product, all signs the seat has likely never gone through required federal crash testing.
How to spot a fake
Safety groups advise parents to look for a permanent label that states the seat complies with FMVSS 213, along with a manufacturer name and address, a model number, a date of manufacture and a registration card. A genuine seat should also come with a clear instruction manual and a five-point harness with a chest clip. Counterfeit units, by contrast, often have narrower straps, flimsy plastic shells or low-quality buckles, and may not list an expiration date, warning signs highlighted by technicians and advocacy groups such as Safe Kids CT. If anything about a seat seems off, safety experts say to stop using it and verify the serial number or paperwork with the manufacturer before trusting it in a moving car.
Where Tampa families can get help
Parents who suspect they have a counterfeit car seat are urged to stop using it immediately, seek a return if they can and report the listing to federal authorities through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s reporting portal at NHTSA. For in-person help, Tampa residents can schedule a check with the Tampa Police Department’s Certified Passenger Safety Technicians, who can verify a seat’s authenticity and, in some situations, provide a replacement for families in need, according to the city’s program page, Tampa Police Department. Officials say every report of a suspicious seat helps regulators trace the source of counterfeits and push dangerous listings off online marketplaces.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to clarify that police warnings regarding counterfeit car seats are not platform-specific.
