PCWORLD: HOW TO IDENTIFY COUNTERFEIT INK CARTRIDGES ?

[Anonymous]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/212183/identify_counterfeit_ink.html

PCWORLD: HOW TO IDENTIFY COUNTERFEIT INK CARTRIDGES ?
Like
fake watches, fake sneakers, and fake Picasso drawings, counterfeit ink
is designed to look like the real thing–in this case, ink sold by
big-name printer manufacturers such as HP, Canon, or Epson. At best it
is inferior to the real McCoy, producing lower-quality images. At worst,
it jams and leaks, damaging your printer.

Don’t confuse
counterfeit ink with off-brand or discount ink, which is made to spec by
honest companies and can be a viable, inexpensive alternative to
brand-name ink. But whereas discount ink makers are looking for happy,
long-term customers, counterfeiters are looking for hit-and-run profits.
Protect your printer and your wallet by following these simple
precautions.
Mind the Vendor

Buy ink only from retailers you
trust. Anonymous online deals may be enticing, but what can you do if
some seller you don’t know sends you a fake ink cartridge? Reputable
retail stores are sometimes duped into selling counterfeits, but at
least you’ll have some recourse if the ink you receive turns out to be
fake.
Examine the Packaging

For years, printer companies have
been adding seals–holographic or otherwise–to verify the authenticity
of the products they sell. Tilt the box and see whether the security
seal behaves in the way the manufacturer says it should. Many major
printer sellers, such as HP, offer help on their Websites in identifying
their genuine packaging.
Examine the Cartridge

Original
vendor products never have ink splashed on the exterior of the cartridge
or inside the box. There should be no black toner dust or damage to the
cartridge either. Original products have pull-tab tape seals–sometimes
several–across the ink ports.
Watch for Substandard Quality and Quantity

Fake
cartridges often leak, clog, and print in inaccurate colors or
distorted text. Keep an eye on the quality of your printer’s output. If
it looks bad, especially out of the box, contact the manufacture about
the potential counterfeit. The printer industry has a major financial
stake in keeping fake cartridges off the street, so you can expect
prompt customer service. Also, keep track of the number of pages you
print per cartridge: Any sharp decline in page count with a new
cartridge is a sign that something is amiss.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/212183/identify_counterfeit_ink.html

[Author]

December 6, 2010 at 8:04 AM