Fake tourniquets on Amazon

[23JAZ]

Amazon has a generous return policy.

I just picked up this Gen 4 SOFTT-W from Amazon. It’s definitely legit. Love the aluminum windlass and just feels all around beefier than the CAT. IMO.

[DAVE_M]

For those of you purchasing through Amazon... BE CAREFUL.

There are hundreds of different fakes out there, including fakes of the TacMed SOFTT-W.

Chinook Medical
Eleven10 Gear
DARK Angel Medical
TacMed Solutions (Direct)
North American Rescue (Direct)
Skinny Medic

And a few select others are the only reliable sources for ensuring you have real kit.

Since many don't know, I try my best to spread the word. If you have a HSA (Health Savings Account) or FSA (Flexible Spending Account), you can use those funds towards buying medical equipment. Ironically, it falls under the IRS exemption of "bandages." Chinook Medical will accept payment with your HSA/FSA card, but some will not. However, you ARE allowed to withdraw funds (tax free) from the account, and use those funds to purchase medical. Just ask for a HSA/FSA compliant itemized receipt upon ordering. I've done this at DARK Angel Medical, and they were happy to help. They explained their reasoning for not accepting the cards was related to a different type of processing fee rather than a tax issue.

[Drang]

Now I have several questions:
1) Is there an issue with other fake medical equipment on Amazon? Chest seals or clotting agents, for example?
2) Is there a way to spot these before ordering?
3) Will an HSA/FSA pay for training?

These are all just out of curiosity, but I figure others may benefit by the information.

[DAVE_M]

Now I have several questions:
1) Is there an issue with other fake medical equipment on Amazon? Chest seals or clotting agents, for example?
2) Is there a way to spot these before ordering?
3) Will an HSA/FSA pay for training?

These are all just out of curiosity, but I figure others may benefit by the information.

1) Yes, but generally they are not direct copies.
2) Yes.
3) No.

Skinny Medic has a few videos on fake tourniquets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHbRW42-PB0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD-KI-4PqtQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ-CIk-eQYM

Easy ways to distinguish if CAT tourniquets are fake:
They have metal parts, including the windlass.
They are in colors other than black, blue, or orange.
They are packaged in bags, rather than sealed plastic, and missing the NAR included paperwork.
They are missing the NSN number, date, or have oddly colored time stamps.
Fake CAT's will usually have perforated holes on the red tip.

Easy ways to distinguish if SOFTT-W tourniquets are fake:
They have plastic parts, including the windlass.
They are in colors other than black, blue, orange, or red. (Red SOFTT-W's are available through the Red Cross)
They are packaged in zip lock bags without any TacMed paperwork.

Often times you will encounter fakes from eBay and Amazon. Life saving equipment is nothing to penny pinch on, so buy from trusted sources ONLY.

[Rex G]

Now I have several questions:
1) Is there an issue with other fake medical equipment on Amazon? Chest seals or clotting agents, for example?
2) Is there a way to spot these before ordering?
3) Will an HSA/FSA pay for training?

These are all just out of curiosity, but I figure others may benefit by the information.

Amazon’s distribution network is susceptible to counterfeits, period. Spyderco advised customers to avoid buying Spyderco knives through Amazon, a number of years ago. More recently, I have seen warnings on photography forums.

Yes, Amazon has a generous return policy, but the customer must be careful, or he/she will not know that a fake/counterfeit/knock-off was delivered.

Another problem is new-old-stock. I recently ordered a Metz SCA 3205 M5, from a supplier, CAMRIDGEWORLD, affiliated with Amazon. The package that was delivered was clearly labeled Metz 3205 M2, and, more importantly, the manufacturer’s package had been unsealed, and the item inside was a either a primitive knock-off, or a less-advanced version with a more-primitive function, which should have been sold for much less money, as immediately evidenced by the number of electrical contacts on the mating surface. (I did not pull the item from the packaging, for closer inspection; it is going back.)

The problem occurs with Amazon, itself, not just its affiliated sellers. I recently ordered a Novoflex LEM/LER lens adapter, sold and fulfilled by Amazon, itself. The narrative described the newer version, with 6-bit coding. The only clue that anything might be unusual was a price one-third less than the expected full retail. Well, sure enough, a new-old-stock item arrived, with no 6-bit coding. In this case, I was satisfied, because of the lower price, and because this item was to be mated to a lens that was not compatible with 6-bit coding, anyway.

Neither of these items are firearms-related, but it shows how far Amazon has fallen, with my two most-recent orders.