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I had occasion to talk to someone knowledgeable about the situation in the African goldfields and was told of some of the real human costs of fake detectors. Families in the goldfields borrow tens of thousands of dollars to buy a number of detectors, expecting to pay it off with their gold findings. Sadly, sometimes the detectors are fake look-alike crap VLF machines from China. Money gone, no gold and instead of Chapter 11, somebody in the family gets a long prison sentence till the debt is paid!

The United Arab Emirates, along with China, are the center for financing and supplying almost all the "New Industries" in Africa. When it is good (like financing and carrying out infrastructure projects, supplying equipment and spare parts to keep everything running) - it's very good. When it's bad (like counterfiet products, black market caviar, sex trafficking, smuggling and financing Somali Piracy) - it's HORRID.

Here's some news First Texas posted about what they are doing (Minelab has made similar efforts).

First Texas Products Again Successful Against Counterfeiters

El Paso, Texas, Sept. 25, 2014 -- Following on its September 2013 counterfeit raid and confiscation, First Texas Products, LLC, was again successful in penetrating a counterfeit distribution organization operating in the United Arab Emirates, resulting in the raid and confiscation of Teknetics® and Fisher® Research Labs metal detectors.

"Following on our successful 2013 raid, the worldwide leader in gold detection technology again apprehended the counterfeiters," said Tim Mallory, First Texas Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Our determination to close down the illegal retailers, distributors and manufacturers continues to be as aggressive as ever,” he said.

A Sudanese national reputed to have operations in Dubai and Ajman was arrested at an Ajman warehouse facility where Chinese-origin counterfeit Teknetics T2 and Fisher Gold Bug® gold detectors were being assembled, packaged and distributed.

Tom Walsh, Chief Executive Officer of First Texas Products, said the ongoing anti-counterfeit operations in the UAE and Africa have made it more difficult for counterfeiters to operate. “We will stop at nothing to protect our intellectual property rights and defend our market position in the UAE and across the African continent,” Walsh said. “First Texas Products will not be hindered in the pursuit and prosecution of counterfeiters. And First Texas will continue to pay for information leading to the arrest of counterfeiters and the confiscation of their illegal wares.”

According to Mr. Mallory, “counterfeit Teknetics® and Fisher® products have been distributed in Dubai since 2009. Innocent and unsuspecting African miners suffer the consequences of counterfeit distribution. Our anti-counterfeiting programs seek not only to prosecute fraud; we also educate retailers and end users on the economic and legal risks inherent in counterfeiting. This seizure of counterfeited products of two of our strongest brands reinforces our resolve.”

Following this successful operation, an unrelated raid on smuggled counterfeit detectors was reported by the Sudanese General Customs Administration in West Omdurman, Sudan on Sept. 15, 2014. Thousands of counterfeit gold detectors were seized in that anti-smuggling operation. According to Mr. Mallory, “market intelligence leads us to believe that these counterfeit operations were related to one another.”

The Dubai Gold Souk is the primary destination for gold unearthed by African artisanal miners. Dubai's leading gold market position has established it as the major transit point and distribution hub for gold prospecting equipment destined for African and Asian markets. Counterfeiters attempt to infiltrate the Dubai market and distribute counterfeit detectors through both clandestine and authentic distribution channels.

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Much less of a problem here in the US, and your risk is near zero if you buy from a known, reputable dealer.

Buy from Craig's list and you never know - I wouldn't buy a used detector unless the seller demonstrated that it operated properly.

There are a few fake detectors distributed here in the US.

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Fake machine are everywhere, even here in Europe... Garrett pinpointers, Minelabs, Tekcnics, Fishers.

 

Many peoples want to earn easy and fast money...

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