Child safety advocates report rise in online sales of counterfeit car seats

BOZEMAN, Mont. — When you buy car seats online, many of them look real. But how can you tell that you are not getting a fake car seat?

All car seats must meet strict federal safety standards.

You will find a manufacturer's label that includes the car seat name, date of manufacture, brand, model number and expiration date. This information is used to register your car seat and allows manufacturers to notify you of any recalls.

You will also find warning labels on the back and top of the car seat. If you notice that any of these labels are missing, it is a fake.

According to child safety officers at Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital, they are seeing an alarming number of parents unknowingly purchasing counterfeit car seats through online retailers.

Parents spend hundreds of dollars buying fake car seats.

“The deep discount from a regular car seat to a deeply discounted one should alarm you. The fact that it's normally a $500 car seat and you're getting it for a fraction of that should be a big red flag for you. If it sounds too good to be true, it is,” said Michelle Jamison, director of the Community Health Program at Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital.

The best way to avoid counterfeit car seats, Jamison said, is to purchase the seats directly from the manufacturer's website or go to a store in person.

If you would like to report a counterfeit car seat or need help evaluating or installing your seat, click here.