OtterBox tackling 'huge problem' of fake phone cases

Smartphone case maker OtterBox is engaging in a public education push after recognising fakes have become a “huge problem.”

The US-based company has built a big portfolio of cases for the leading brands of smartphones and tablets. However, this position has made it a target for counterfeiters. Last year 118,000 fake OtterBox items were seized in the US, leading to settlements of $11 million.

Now the focus is on cutting demand for fakes. "It's important that consumers understand the difference between authentic and counterfeit product and unfortunately some do not," Rachael Lamkin, associate general counsel for OtterBox, told the Denver Post.

Lamkin warns that the fakes, while cheap, are of poor quality. The concern for OtterBox is that if people are unaware they have bought a fake, the brand looks bad if the knock-off, many of which originate in China, falls apart or fails to protect the phone or tablet.