PR: Canon USA and the NCPC collaborate to raise awareness about the dangers of counterfeit power accessories

Canon USA Inc, a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced its collaboration with the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) to promote awareness around the safety risks of using counterfeit power accessories, such as batteries, chargers, and external flashes.

The production and sale of counterfeit products is an issue that not only affects the consumer electronics industry, but can affect consumer safety as well. The launch of this collaboration is scheduled to coincide with Crime Prevention Month in October, and will continue through 2017.

Together with Canon U.S.A., NCPC will use its resources to provide educational tools to crime prevention practitioners, law enforcement officials, and educators who, in turn, can use those resources to teach their communities about the dangers of purchasing counterfeits. The awareness campaign will also include digital messaging directed to consumers and public service announcements as well as other videos featuring McGruff the Crime Dog.

Counterfeit items are illegal replicas of real products, designed to deceive and take advantage of the superior value of genuine merchandise. They are produced in a manner that is increasingly more difficult for average consumers to identify, which is why awareness and education efforts are so important. Furthermore, counterfeit power accessories can lead to potentially dangerous results. They typically do not contain important safety technologies and are not tested to meet industry safety standards. As a result, they may overheat, smoke, melt, ignite, or create power surges and electrical irregularities that may cause personal injury or property damage.

"The safety of our customers is of paramount importance," said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "We want to make sure our customers are aware of the dangers of counterfeit power accessories so they can avoid potential risks of hurting themselves or damaging their equipment."

"As counterfeiting of camera accessories continues to evolve, we want to make consumers aware of this risk so they can keep themselves and their equipment safe," said Ann Harkins, president and CEO, NCPC. "Counterfeit products designed to look like genuine products from major camera manufacturers may cause damage to people and property."

NCPC is a private, nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization whose primary mission is to be the nation's leader in helping people keep themselves, their families and their communities safe from crime.

To learn more about the campaign, please visit www.ncpc.org/stopfakes.