Parents warned kids could be at risk from fake Fingerlings toys as desperate mums and dads conned by counterfeit crooks over the must-have Christmas toy
Fingerlings are a must-have Christmas toy but Trading Standards bosses say knock-offs are flooding the market
KIDS are being placed in danger by dodgy knock-offs off one of this year's must-have Christmas toys.
Fingerlings are top of many children's Christmas lists this year and parents are rushing out to snap them up.
The robotic animals - which include a monkey, a unicorn and a sloth - slip onto the finger and react to sound, motion and touch.
But demand for the product has seen a shortage, and crooked counterfeit sellers cashing in.
Now a watchdog has issued a safety alert over dodgy versions of the Fingerlings following reports from a number of worried parents.
Norfolk Trading Standards wrote in a Facebook post: ";Fingerlings are looking to be this years ‘must have toy’.
"With demand outstripping supply this will lead to copy versions appearing in shops, markets, online stores and auction sites.
"These copies could be near copies, common names appearing include ‘Baby Monkey’, ‘Happy Monkey’ and ‘Finger Monkey’ or counterfeit versions presented as Fingerlings.
"These copy and counterfeit versions could have issues with the safety of the product and its use."
Scores of parents replied to the post saying they had been tricked into buying dodgy Fingerlings.
Carly Ann Roberts wrote: "I got caught out twice with these, now not gonna bother even tho kids really want them to worried about being caught again I’m £60 down as both times ordered 2 at £13 each and then postage."
Dorothy Archibald warned: "Really people, surely everyone is aware that if your paying a lot less than the shop prices on places like eBay and Amazon then it’s fake.
"If you want genuine products stick to the high street stores and pay the price. For some the fake is good enough as they can’t afford the real thing. The old saying is true. If it’s to good to be true then it’s not true."
Genuine versions of the Fingerlings toys sell for £14.99 RRP but up to £70 on online retailers including Amazon and eBay.
Norfolk Trading Standards said in its post that parents should look out for telltale signs that one was a fake.
They included the names of the toys spelt wrongly on the packaging as well as spelling and grammar mistakes found elsewhere.
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Last month, a mum spoke of her horror after finding razor blades inside a counterfeit Fingerlings toy she bought on eBay.
WowWee, the company that makes authentic Fingerlings, says it is aware of the counterfeit problem - and sued 165 counterfeiters last month.
A WowWee spokesman said: "We know Fingerlings is a high-demand toy, and we're working very closely with our retail partners to ensure stores are stocked this holiday season."