Liquid fawn: there are more fake auto parts and liquids on the market
In three years, the share of counterfeit products in the segment of auto parts and automotive technical fluids has increased by more than 2.0%. This was reported to Izvestia by TKM International Consulting, which provides services in the field of intellectual property rights protection. Experts talk about an "ocean" of fake spare parts and warn about counterfeit engine oil. Izvestia investigated which automotive components are forged most often and how to identify a counterfeit.
Half a million forgeries
Since 2022, the number of counterfeit and falsified products on the car market has been growing every year and is currently significantly higher than in the pre-sanctions period, Alexander Kovin, Development Director at TKM International Consulting, told Izvestia. In three years, the company's employees seized more than half a million counterfeit car components. If 130 thousand of them were identified in 2022, 180 thousand in 2023, and 190 thousand in 2024. Thus, the growth in three years was 37.5%.
During this period, the company's employees blocked more than 4,000 publications on marketplaces, more than 100,000 ads on social networks, and closed more than 20 sites distributing counterfeit spare parts, oils, and automotive fluids. For all offenses, compensation and compensation for damage to copyright holders have been received in court, Alexander Kovin noted.
— Unfortunately, a huge number of spare parts are being forged, among which we most often identify counterfeit engine oils, spark plugs, filters, brake system parts and other types of automotive components. This is largely due to the suspension of cooperation between some foreign copyright holders and Russia," he said. According to him, counterfeit goods began to arrive in Russia through alternative routes, and their illegal production also intensified.
Which products are counterfeited most often
Experts and market players interviewed by Izvestia agree with this point of view. Expert Roman Gulyaev sees a trend towards an increase in counterfeit goods for oils, liquids and spare parts.
— Spare parts began to be imported from China. Whether they are original or counterfeit, no one knows. The copyright holders should fight, but it is clear that Volkswagen is not up to the fight now," he said.
Ekaterina Nevskaya, Director of Rolf's Spare Parts and Corporate Procurement Department, said that when purchasing spare parts, the company encounters counterfeit automotive components in all product groups.
— Oil, spark plugs are most often forged, filters, suspension and steering elements are less common. Technical liquids account for the largest share of counterfeit goods. Filters are much less common in this list, as there are a large number of analogues in the market in different price segments. Suspension elements are expensive spare parts, the consumer analyzes the price and can save money and buy a fake, warns Ekaterina Nevskaya.
She said that the company has strict checks on each supplier of spare parts and services. The counterparty is checked in detail by the security service and financial departments.
In addition, the products are carefully checked by experienced warehouse staff during acceptance under the cameras. The found low-quality goods are returned to the supplier, and cooperation with the supplier is terminated upon repeated shipments of counterfeit goods.
The repeatable original
A joint study of the Fit Service and Gruzdev-Analyze car service network by the end of 2024 showed that 37% of car mechanics and other industry professionals have encountered fakes in their work. They named oils and fuels as the most common category of counterfeit goods (54%), followed by various filters (35%), followed by spark plugs (33%) and low-quality suspension and steering parts (19%).
— To organize such a dishonest business, two components are important: the simplicity of artisanal production of goods and high demand. Lubricants and consumables meet these requirements. Car owners consistently buy oils and filters, they change with each mandatory maintenance. In addition, the development and availability of online platforms for the sale of goods has also influenced the growth of counterfeits. But after the ban on the turnover of unmarked products, it will be much more difficult to organize such schemes," Tatiana Ovchinnikova, director of Fit Service, told Izvestia.
Earlier, Alexey Pavlovich, director of production at Forsage Group, said that the proportion of counterfeit oil, according to expert estimates, now exceeds 50%. At the same time, even large consumers are increasingly finding it difficult to distinguish an original product from a copy.
— The consequences of using fakes are rarely immediate. For a private driver, this may result in an unplanned repair. And for owners of fleets, agricultural enterprises and logistics companies — significant maintenance costs, equipment downtime and reduced equipment life. At the same time, reputation also suffers: if a problem arises, the customer usually blames the manufacturer," he warned.
An increase in the number of fakes is likely
Car owners should now be especially careful when buying technical fluids, Tatiana Ovchinnikova notes.
— Mandatory labeling of motor oils and other technical fluids has been introduced in Russia, but the project is unfolding gradually. There are still a lot of goods in the warehouses of official sellers and those who "conjure" with fakes, which may not be labeled until September 1, 2025. Obviously, now both "white" and "black" sellers will strive to sell off the leftovers as quickly as possible. Therefore, an increase in the number of fakes is likely, as well as a sharp decrease in prices for both high-quality goods and counterfeit goods. So, we are already noticing a decrease in average prices for lubricants," she said.
Counterfeit spare parts, oils, and car fluids are distributed everywhere: at "physical" points of sale, on the Internet, and at service stations. Both the original and a fake under the same trademark can be presented on the same shelf, Alexander Kovin notes.
— A high proportion of counterfeit products is represented on marketplaces, and there is also a possibility of encountering counterfeiting by buying auto parts in communities through social networks. Most often, unscrupulous sellers use original photos copied from the copyright holder's cards, so the buyer notices signs of counterfeiting only upon receipt or after the product is put into operation," Alexander Kovin warned. He said that TKM uses a specially developed program using artificial intelligence technologies to detect fakes. It analyzes text and visual data, information about sellers, identifies and combines fakes by signs.
How to distinguish counterfeit goods
When buying, the expert recommends paying attention to the packaging — counterfeit products often have poor quality, with spelling errors, blurred images or poor print quality. If the customer has access to the original product, it will be useful to compare it with the new product. Counterfeit goods are often made of cheaper materials, they differ in texture and smell. The price may be significantly lower than the market price.
Many brands have unique serial numbers, as well as codes and products can be checked on the manufacturer's official website. In addition, it is worth examining the seller's reputation to make sure that he has the necessary licenses and certificates.
Roman Gulyaev advises buying spare parts at a service station, where they are supplied with a guarantee. When servicing at a large certified service station, the client is protected by two filters, says Tatiana Ovchinnikova.
— Firstly, large networks cooperate only with the largest distributors of technical fluids and spare parts, which have their own anti-counterfeiting programs. Secondly, the car service stations themselves strictly evaluate the goods upon acceptance, check the entire package of documents," she notes.
Anton Shaparin, vice President of the National Automobile Union (NAS), calls the TKM data a drop in the bucket.
— This is like trying to scoop out the sea by molecules. We are splashing in an ocean of fakes, and there is no control in this case," the expert noted.
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