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Fake Super Bowl, World Series rings worth $1.38 million seized in Cincinnati

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Jason Kelce isn’t the only one looking for a championship ring in Cincinnati.

U.S. Customs and Border officials recently seized hundreds of championship rings for a variety of sports teams after they were determined to be fake.

A shipment of 345 championship rings from Hong Kong was seized at the Port of Cincinnati in mid-April, according to a press release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The fake rings sported the logos of 18 professional sports teams, including the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls and Pittsburgh Penguins.

The shipment was heading to a small business in Utica, New York, the release said. Trade experts with Customs and Border Protection determined all 345 rings to be fake, based on the rings’ low quality, lack of value and shipping origin. If the rings had been genuine, the shipment’s retail value would have been $1.38 million, the agency said.

Counterfeit championship baseball, football, basketball and hockey rings are often sold by third-party retailers for a hefty sum, and shoppers may not be able to tell they’re fake, the release said.

“Our frontline officers at the Port of Cincinnati work tirelessly to protect consumers from illicit shipments,” LaFonda Sutton-Burke, director of field operations in Chicago, said. “Profits from shipments like this one are often funneled into criminal organizations, and in return fund their illegal activities.” 

To avoid scams, the agency recommends shoppers buy directly from trademark holders or authorized sellers, and look for a retailer’s working U.S. phone number when shopping online.

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