If you’re one of the 35+ million people worldwide who use e-cigarettes or vapes, then you probably know how important it is for you to have your juice in stock. And while it’s usually easy to procure vape pods, a dangerous trend has been on the rise: the sale of fake e-liquids that are not just harmful to your vaping experience, but also to your health.

Even RELX pods are not safe from the workings of the counterfeit vape industry. If you don’t know what to look for, you might not even know you’ve been scammed. Luckily, we’re here to help you find out how to shop smarter to avoid getting duped.

Why You Should Avoid Fake Vape Pods

You might be wondering if fake e-juice is all that bad. Well, it’s a good thing you asked. Counterfeit vape pods can pose a serious threat to people who buy them for the following reasons:

• There is no quality assurance – With legit pods, there’s always traceability. The manufacturer, distributor, and facility are slapped on the label with seals and serial numbers, ensuring it’s passed rigorous QA testing. If it’s fake, there’s no telling who it could be made by, where it’s from, or if the pod is up to brand standards.
  
  
• It is not FDA-approved – Seeing as you inhale the contents of a vape pod, you’d probably feel more comfortable if a regulatory body approves them. That means its ingredients would have been identified, analyzed, and deemed safe for human consumption—all of which involve a process that fake pods do not go through.
  
  
• It could contain dangerous chemicals – RELX has investigated and tested the contents of fake vape pods, which show that the illicit products use inferior ingredients, have excessive levels of toluene, and nicotine content that doesn’t match with the label. These can seriously affect your vaping experience as well as the health factors involved.

Below are quick and easy ways to save yourself from the hassle and worry of getting a counterfeit pod.

How to Spot a Fake RELX Pod

Study the website carefully

Do your research well. Unless you’re buying from the RELX official online store, make it a habit to thoroughly check where you’re going to purchase your pods. Check the website’s contact details to make sure it’s active, read their “About” page, look for real reviews, and keep an eye out for other trust signals like authorized distributor status.

Check for inconsistencies with the packaging

Compare the images on third-party resellers and make sure they match the packaging posted on official RELX websites. Some pictures may be manipulated to look like they’re the real thing. In some cases, pods sold in different countries will have adjustments to their packaging (such as labels written in the local language). Still, make sure to verify with official sources.

Cross-reference with the official list of flavors

If you can’t find a pumpkin spice-flavored pod on the RELX website, then it probably doesn’t exist. Don’t be fooled with similar flavors from other brands or websites claiming they have “limited edition” flavors. If a particular RELX pod flavor isn’t listed on the official RELX site, then it’s best to avoid it.

Enter or scan the pod’s serial number on the website

RELX has developed anti-counterfeiting labels that consumers can either scan or input on the RELX store website as a response to the selling of illicit pods. Pods made after April 2019 have bar codes printed on the cartridge box inside the packaging. In case you accidentally throw that away, there’s a QR code printed on the foil of the back of the RELX pod as well. You can use your smartphone’s camera to scan it.

Test vapor manufacturing during usage

RELX pods and RELX Infinity pods are made with their customers' happiness in mind—that means a pleasant and enjoyable vaping experience with quality products. If you’re not getting a smooth drag from any of the pods in your batch, there’s a chance you might have been duped. For experienced RELX vapers, you’ll know if it doesn’t operate the same way as the last time you used your vape.

Check that the ceramic atomizer is an “S” shape

This might be a little more difficult to check, but it’s a great way to check the legitimacy of your RELX device. The atomizer is in every pod, and swapping a new flavor means starting with a new one. Check if your RELX pods have an S-shaped atomizer and that it doesn’t leak. RELX pods are engineered to have a hassle-free vaping experience, which means not worrying about overflow liquid to escape. If you find issues with either of these during checking, you might be dealing with a counterfeit product.

Stop Smoking Fakes

It’s always a good idea to pay attention to the details when shopping for your vape pods. Not only is it safer and cleaner, but it’ll give you peace of mind that you didn’t unknowingly throw away your money on illegal businesses who make money out of duping people—which is just not cool.

The good news is, you can always feel confident shopping for authentic RELX products on our official RELX store. RELX Club offers RELX pods, RELX devices, RELX vapes, and more. Find your flavor from our wide assortment of products available online today!

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