Massive crackdown on sellers of counterfeit Black Rhino wheels
As the investigation and raids continue, Treads Unlimited is offering a reward of R5000 in the form of a product voucher to anyone with information that leads to the seizure of counterfeit Black Rhino wheels
Treads Unlimited, the authorised South African distributor of the Black Rhino range of 4×4 wheels, cautions South African motorists to be extremely wary of retailers offering Black Rhino wheels at prices that seem too good to be true.
The company, which is a division of TiAuto Investments (holding company for South Africa’s most trusted brands, including Tiger Wheel & Tyre), recently revealed in a statement that it is in the midst of a massive crackdown on sellers of counterfeit and dangerous knock-offs of the Black Rhino brand.
It says that since September 2019, teams comprising members of the South African Police Service’s Commercial Crime Unit, local authorities and industry experts have raided sites in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal and seized an undisclosed number of counterfeit Black Rhino wheels.
The seized goods are being held for safekeeping, pending their destruction in order to preserve the safety of unsuspecting South African consumers.
Alex Taplin, CEO of TiAuto Investments, says if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. “We cannot emphasise enough how very dangerous these counterfeit wheels are. Testing has revealed them to be of a deeply inferior quality and incapable of carrying the loads for which they are supposedly rated. Worse still, some models are barely capable of carrying the vehicle’s unloaded weight.
“The physical integrity of these wheels is compromised due to sub-par engineering, which includes a significant reduction in the amount of expensive but necessary materials in the wheel structure. Make no mistake, these wheels will fail and when they do, the consequences could be catastrophic. We urge vehicle owners to do their due diligence and only purchase Black Rhino wheels from Tiger Wheel & Tyre and other reputable retailers.”
As the investigation and raids continue, Treads Unlimited is offering a reward of R5000 in the form of a product voucher to anyone with information that leads to the seizure of counterfeit Black Rhino wheels and / or the arrest of individuals involved in the import, distribution or sale of these counterfeit wheels. Email your tip-offs to Werner Fourie at wernerf@tiauto.co.za
According to Treads Unlimited, it can be difficult for the untrained eye to differentiate between genuine and counterfeit Black Rhino wheels. As a result, the company is offering owners of Black Rhino wheels a free wheel inspection at any Tiger Wheel & Tyre fitment centre countrywide.
The inspection process will take about 15 minutes.
In addition, to encourage consumers to make the time to get the inspection done, Tiger Wheel & Tyre have committed to providing all who come to have their wheels checked with a full wheel balancing, free of charge. If the wheels are found to be fake, the store will advise the consumer on safe, alternative wheels and give them 10% off the in-store price, should they choose to purchase those wheels from that particular Tiger Wheel & Tyre fitment centre.
“I encourage anyone who is in the market for off-road wheels to call Treads Unlimited on 0118221680 to determine if their preferred retailer is an authorised reseller of genuine Black Rhino wheels, or to visit www.twt.to to find their nearest Tiger Wheel & Tyre fitment centre,” concluded Taplin.
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