Over 1.5 Million Fake Mercedes Parts Seized in Police Raids

You might think buying cheap car parts online is a good way to save money. But some of those parts could be very dangerous.

Mercedes-Benz has been working with police forces around the world to stop the spread of fake car components.

The company says these counterfeits aren’t just poor quality. They can actually put people’s lives at risk, reports Boosted.

Immense Amounts of Dangerous Car Parts

So far this year, Mercedes has helped seize over 1.5 million fake parts. These operations followed nearly 800 police raids across different countries.

Many of the fake parts looked like the real deal at first glance. But under the surface, they told a different story.

Some brake pads were found to contain lead and arsenic. Others were made from materials that caught fire easily.

There were even air filters made with flammable components. In other cases, brakes didn’t work as well, leading to longer stopping distances — something that could be deadly on the road.

The issue isn’t just with basic replacement parts anymore. Fake versions of high-performance components for AMG and Maybach models have also shown up.

There have even been reports of entire fake cars being built.

To handle the growing problem, Mercedes has a special team dedicated to tracking and stopping these criminals.

A Good Price Can Be Deceiving

The company stresses that all genuine parts go through strict safety and environmental testing. Fake parts don’t. And that’s what makes them so risky.

Mercedes urges car owners to stay alert, especially when shopping online. If a price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Watch out for sketchy websites or product listings that seem off. Sometimes even the product name or photo can give away that it’s a fake.

The company says its ongoing fight against fake parts helps keep drivers safe, protects customers from scams, and protects the reputation of the brand.

This isn’t the first time Mercedes has cracked down. In 2023, they helped confiscate and destroy more than 1.6 million fake parts.

And with the numbers climbing again this year, the battle is far from over.