Buyer Beware of Fake Print Cartridges

Recently I purchased a set of Epson printer cartridges online. Looking to save a few dollars, I found a pair that were on sale through Amazon and thought I was all set.

I was wrong. When they arrived, the packaging all looked good. It looked just like the old one, or so I thought. I tossed the empty cartridge, and placed the new one in. Everything worked fine for a few weeks. Then one day my printer no longer recognized the printer cartridge. I tried taking it out, shaking it, and replacing it. That didn't work either.

I decided to install the second cartridge that purchased. After all, the first one worked for a little while -- maybe this one would, too. Yep. It worked for a short time as well, then one day it was no longer recognized.

Frustrated, I bought a new one at Walmart yesterday and this time decided to compare the two. What I found was disturbing. Apparently someone in China is producing knock-offs and selling them through EPSON. Check out the photos above and notice the subtle differences.