In brief: Philippines firm warns of fake car wheels

Philippines based company ROTA Wheels has warned that counterfeit copies of its alloy rims are being distributed in the marketplace, potentially placing drivers at risk of accidents.

The company said in a statement that fakes have shown up at dealers in Malaysia which appear to have been sourced from China. The knock-offs are embossed with a ROTA marking on the face of the wheel, something which is not found on the genuine article, said the company.

They are also packaged in plain brown boxes, while original ROTA wheels come with boxes that feature ROTA markings and 3D wheel drawings.

"ROTA wheels undergo rigid testing … to assure you that you are purchasing quality wheels," commented  Michael Rojas, president of ROTA Wheels' holding company Philippine Aluminum Wheels Inc (PAWI).

"We cannot guarantee the safety of the copies so please be careful with your wheel purchases," he added.