BY KATIA DMITRIEVA

With All-Star Weekend now in full swing in Ottawa, the National Hockey League is warning hockey fans to watch out for counterfeit goods.

Picking up a cheap jersey from a street vendor this weekend could be tempting — but the national hockey organization wants you to know this does more harm than good.

“People don’t realize they’re buying counterfeits,” says Tom Prochnow, NHL vice-president of legal and business affairs. “We’re trying to educate these people specifically.”

Everything from on-ice jerseys to hats are sold online for a fraction of the price of the official gear.

The NHL works with the RCMP, local police, and investigators to bust the fake retailers. Offenders can be charged under the Copyright Act or the Trademark and Textile Act, slapped with a fine or sentenced to a jail term.

Penalties are steep because when a fan buys a knock-off, they’re not only getting ripped off, but their purchase hurts local retailers, Canadian factory workers, and the game.

“There’s an entire supply line,” Prochnow said. “It includes factory workers, truck drivers, and ‘mom and pop’ store owners who are playing by the rules.”

Not playing by these rules means buying NHL memorabilia out of duffel bags, on fold-out tables, and even in unlicensed stores in Ottawa. But most of the fakes are pouring in from China via online stores. Just last year, law enforcement closed down 40 of these self-proclaimed “official retailers.” The problem is that more of them pop up each year.

In 2011, the value of goods seized was over $1 million dollars. And since 2008, with the rise of online retailers and bidding websites like eBay and Kijiji, that annual value has quadrupled.

The majority of counterfeits are jerseys, the most expensive of hockey accessories. The most popular player searched for on the NHL store’s website is Alex Ovechkin. An official Ovechkin home jersey rings in at the register at $329. A customized jersey — with a different name or number stitched on — would be hundreds more. That’s without tax and shipping.

The NHL is a member of the Coalition to Advance the Protection of Sports Logos, a watchdog group. The coalition so far has seized more than 10 million pieces of counterfeit merchandise, with a whopping total street value of $369 million.

Just a few weeks ago, police seized approximately $350,000 worth of NHL gear at the Winter Classic in Philadelphia.

Dave Mathers, manager of Pro Hockey Life in Greenboro, stocks only officially sanctioned sports items, but he sees dozens of fakes every month. One day, a customer brought in a Sidney Crosby jersey for repairs. But the popular player’s number — 87 — was sewn upside down on the sleeves. It was a fake. Mathers refused to fix it.

Mathers has also seen jerseys with player’s names misspelled, numbers on sideways, and low-quality fabric.

The surprising thing is most customers don’t realize that they’ve bought a pretender, believing the reasons offered by fraudsters: the gear is official but it’s on sale, has minor flaws, or is an extra from the factory.

In the end, though, the numbers don’t lie.

“They see $30 compared to $300 and think ‘oh yeah. Now that makes sense.’”

The price can prove too much of a temptation, though.

“I’m a student and I’m on a student budget,” says Val Lamarre, a student in human kinetics at the University of Ottawa. Although she’s a Habs fan, she wouldn’t buy an official jersey because of the steep price tag.

“I’d probably just paint my face with team colours instead.”

Lamarre isn’t going to the All-Stars game this weekend because she’s studying for exams, but if she were there, she would consider snagging a fake jersey.

“It’s just for one game,” she says. “And it’s only 20 bucks.”

With their off-beat colours and poor stitching, counterfeit NHL goods are often easy to spot. But sometimes, the copies are indiscernible from their official counterparts. Here’s a list — compiled from NHL representatives, sports store owners, and the people who make sanctioned jerseys — of tips for spotting the real from the fake.

• Look for a hologram tag or a hologram sticker. All licensed products have this, with a unique serial number on the hologram.
• Buy products from legitimate retailers. Don’t buy from flea markets or from unlicenced sources online.
• The price is key. If it looks too good to be true, it is.
• Do your research. Check that the colours are correct and that the number or name of the player is in the right spot.