Counterfeit car seats: How to spot a fake and keep your little one safe

Camila Perez

Injury Prevention Special Project Coordinator

Car seat safety is one of the top priorities for both new parents and old pros alike, but the rise in counterfeit car seats has led to concerns about how caregivers can ensure they are using a safe and approved car seat so their children are traveling safely in the back seat.

Injury Prevention Special Project Coordinator Camila Perez with the Bradshaw Institute for Community Child Health and Advocacy spoke with us about counterfeit car seats and what parents should watch for.

Where are you most likely to encounter counterfeit car seats for sale?

“You’re most likely to find these sorts of counterfeit car seats for sale online in places like TikTok Shop, Temu, Shein or other ‘discount’ online retailers,” said Perez. “We’ve also seen them being sold on Walmart’s website through their third-party vendor option.”

Online megaretailers like Amazon and Walmart don’t carefully monitor what third-party vendors are selling on their platforms.  It can also be hard to tell which items are being sold by the actual retailer as opposed to a third-party vendor.

“What we see is well-meaning parents looking to find ‘dupes’ of their favorite type of car seat at a lower price point, and unfortunately, these counterfeit sellers take advantage of that,” added Perez.

What makes counterfeit car seats riskier than regular car seats?

Counterfeit car seats are not real car seats. They are imitations of the real thing, almost like a toy version.  That means they don’t undergo any crash safety tests  and therefore don’t meet the federal safety regulations required for sale in the US. They are  also made with much lower-quality materials.

In short, they simply don’t provide the same kind of safety in a car accident that regular car seats are legally required to provide, leaving your child at a higher risk of severe injury.

In a crash test going only 30 mph, a counterfeit car seat does not remain in one piece and does not stay installed.  Instead, it detaches from the car, breaks into several pieces and causes significant damage to the crash test dummy ‘child’ inside.

How can you tell if a car seat is a counterfeit?

“The easiest way to spot a fake car seat is to check for the chest clip and brand labeling,” said Perez. “In counterfeits, the chest clip is often missing, there is no brand labeling and there won’t be the same safety labels. You may see some safety labeling, but with obvious spelling or grammar mistakes.”

Perez noted that some fake car seats are now including chest clips in an attempt to better disguise the seats as being real, but the lack of safety labeling and manufacturing information still helps to identify them. Each seat should have a sticker with a manufacturer date and model number.

Also, you should easily be able to find the brand name of your car seat. For example, if you think you have a “Doona” car seat, you should see the name “Doona” on the car seat handle, stickers on the sides, interior padding, etc. If you can’t find the brand name, manufacturer date or model number, you may have a counterfeit car seat on your hands.

What should parents do if they realize they have a counterfeit car seat?

“One of the things we do for parents after a baby is born is double-check that they know how to safely buckle in their child before they leave the hospital,” said Perez. “If the car seat is counterfeit or unsafe, families may be able to buy a different car seat before they are discharged. If purchasing a new car seat would be difficult financially, we will meet with the family to discuss available resources.” For general car seat needs, contact SC Dept of Public Health to be connected with local resources.

Perez added that they educate families about why the counterfeit seat is less safe and what to look for in the future to ensure they’re purchasing safe car seats that meet the standards in the United States.

For advice on how to safely secure your infant, baby or toddler in their car seat or booster seat, we have videos on Flourish showcasing how to safely install a rear-facing car seat, a forward-facing car seat and a booster seat.

Additional resources:

• To ensure your car seat is an approved and safe one, check out the American Academy of Pediatrics list of approved car seats.
  Car Seats: Product Listing for 2025 – HealthyChildren.org

• To find a car seat inspection station to have your seat checked for free in person or virtually by a Child Passenger Safety Technician like Camila, visit the SC DPH website.
  Child Passenger Safety Inspection Stations | South Carolina Department of Public Health