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There is an old axiom that goes "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."  Unfortunately, in this business that just means unsuspecting collectors are being misled by unscrupulous dealers. I take my designs seriously, and I do not appreciate others taking liberty with the hard work I put into them. 

Therefore I have decided that as I find forgeries of my designs I will post them here along with any information regarding who is selling them at the time. They may or may not be aware that the items they were selling are fictitious. Please understand, the seller information is listed for informational purposes only. When a seller is listed, I have emailed that person and advised them that they are selling a reproduction of a copyrighted © design.

Sadly, I understand that fakes are now a part of our hobby, but I refuse to sit back and just ignore this. 99% of all Huntzman Enterprises designs are marked on the reverse.  On patches there is a sticker, placed under the plastic backing,  which lists our company name, website and telephone number. On pins, we have our website and telephone number. If you do not see these markings it is almost certainly a fake. If you encounter any insignia without our information I ask that you please contact us so that we can warn other collectors. We might not be able to root out all reproductions & fakes, but we can make it as uncomfortable as possible for these sellers.

Also, please be aware that in addition to the items shown below, an individual has also attempted to reproduce both the NYPD Emergency Service Unit and the Disorder Control Unit insignia that was produced for the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City. If you are offered these, or any of our insignia, make sure it has our sticker / imprint on the back.

 

 

Update - March 2008: Lately I have been fielding a lot of emails & calls from people who are selling reproductions of our patches. Ironically they feel offended that I have had the audacity to name them on this site. One seller actually had the unmitigated gall to tell me I was out of line to post my comments about his firm because I had not taken the time to speak with him personally. Apparently my two emails via his website and two phone calls in which I personally spoke to his employees who assured me that the owner "would call me back" was insufficient. I guess the "fifth time" would have been the charm. 

My all time personal favorite is my friend from Transit. I'd need an entire page to document this one, but actually it would be extremely funny if it wasn't so sad.

Please understand something, I am neither a disgruntled person, nor any of the other colorful names some have called me. Huntzman Enterprises is not a "business"  to get rich. We are not traveling around the world selling insignia to line our pockets. If we make one patch show a year we are lucky. What does get me a little "disgruntled" is that the patches we produce are done for the actual units. They in turn use them to generate money for their respective funds, such as Line of Duty Deaths.  These repro artists are stealing from those units, yet they blast me for exposing them. Who is actually the one making money here ????  And truthfully, I do take it personal when someone steals my designs so that they can make money off unsuspecting collectors.  There is a lot of thought and work that goes into designing insignia, so it does annoy me when some disreputable person comes along and decides that they are going to make money off my hard work. 

I'm reminded of the criminal who swears up and down they have nothing on them, and then you search them and come up with contraband and they swear profusely "that's not mine officer,... I have no idea how it got in my pants...."

 

 

NYPD - SID Arson & Explosion Squad Pin

This is a fake pin that was allegedly made based on the 1st design we did for the  Arson & Explosion Squad Patch.  This was supposed to be available through a commercial vendor in Brooklyn, NY. We notified the unit and they advised us that he was informed that he was offering an unauthorized item.

 

NYPD - SID Arson & Explosion Squad Patch - Embroidered Shirt

This is a counterfeit patch that was produced on a tee-shirt and has been sold on E-Bay and in various stores in New York City. It comes with imprinted lettering "NYPD Arson & Explosion Squad" on the reverse in white. A copyright infringement notice was filed with E-Bay and the listing was removed. A subsequent conferral with the seller determined that he had unwittingly purchased them from a vendor in Manhattan. We have contacted them and advised them they are in violation of copyright law. These items are supposed to be removed from sale. This counterfeit shirt was made based on the 1st design we did for the  Arson & Explosion Squad Patch. The embroidery quality is terrible and is an insult to our design.

 

NYPD - Band Patch

This patch was reproduced several  years back. The sad thing is that the individual (s) who did this were so pathetic that they never even bothered to get the coloring right. Best we can figure is that they used a black and white photocopy and guessed on the colors. These patches were  routinely  offered in the past on  E-Bay by several sellers. This patch was also being sold by an  Army & Navy store in Delaware. I have been advised by the owner that they discontinued selling this patch in 2006. They have also been offered by a Retired NYC Transit Police Officer. I have photos of him selling reproductions of my patches. 

 

NYPD - Band Patch

Sadly, this is the Fake Band Patch Part II. How bad are things that the reproductions are being reproduced !!!!!

 

NYPD - ESU Truck 1 Pin

This pin was offered by a leading E-Bay police / fire insignia seller from California. It portrayed the 3rd style  ESU Truck 1 patch logo. Sad thing was that ESU Truck 1 never had a pin made. They contacted the seller and warned him that he was selling a fake item of copyrighted design but they never heard back from him. The buyer has not been offering them in awhile, but he offers a lot of other highly "questionable"  NYPD insignia, including some outright fakes. 

Because of this fake, Truck 1 had us produce an authentic Truck 1 Pin which is available through the unit direct. The pin was produced with a anodized finished so the border appears to be shiny, and of course has our information on the back. 

 

NYPD - ESU Truck 4 Pin

This pin is an unauthorized reproduction based upon the patch design we did for Truck 4. There has never been a pin authorized by the unit. 

 

NYPD - Firearms Investigation Unit / OCCB Patch

It has come to our attention that this patch has been spotted without our sticker on the reverse. Please note that authentic patches all have our logo on the back, UNDER the plastic backing. If you are offered one without a sticker, it's a fake !! Additionally, if you look closely at the lettering you will see that it is not as sharp as the lettering on the original, nor do the letters fit properly along the border. I am still trying to obtain one of the reproductions of this patch.

 

NYPD - PSB Investigation & Evaluation Section Patch

It has come to our attention that this patch has been selling on E-Bay without our sticker on the reverse. Please note that authentic patches all have our logo on the back, UNDER the plastic backing. If you are offered one without a sticker, it's a fake !! We are currently addressing this issue with E-Bay. I obtained one of these counterfeit patches and it is a very close match to the original.  They have also been offered by a Retired NYC Transit Police Officer. I have photos of him selling reproductions of my patches.  

 

NYPD - Bronx Yankee Stadium Detail Patch (Update - 06/07)

There are too many errors to actually note and I don't want to help anyone to make a better fake. If you are offered this patch, look at the white "Home Plate's" on either side, if it has a black border it is a FAKE.  Also, Please note that authentic patches all have our logo on the back, UNDER the plastic backing.  If you are offered one without a sticker, it's a fake !! 

These are frequently listed on E-Bay, but we have them removed. I have been informed  that a police shop  in Massapequa, NY has been selling them. I have contacted them and advised them these are unauthorized reproductions. They have also been offered by a Retired NYC Transit Police Officer. I have photos of him selling reproductions of my patches. 

Additionally, this individual has also offered large amounts of the following patches which are more than likely reproductions: NYPD Asian Jade Society 2nd Issue, NYPD Department - Subdued, NYPD ESU - Subdued, NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau, NYPD TSBA, NYPD PSB IES. Remember, if there is no sticker on the back, it is a reproduction !!

 

Fort Lauderdale Florida Police Dive Team Regulation Patch

We were notified by a fellow collector that this patch has been offered on E-Bay. If you look closely at the porthole and diver you will see that there are some details missing that are clear on the original. Also, the coloring appears to be off, but I am not sure if that is just the scan.  I am still trying to obtain one of the reproductions of this patch and we will attempt to ascertain if the patch has a sticker on the reverse. 

 

Fort Lauderdale Florida Police Dive Team  Flag Patch

As stated above, we were notified by a fellow collector that this patch has been offered on E-Bay. If you look closely at the porthole and diver you will see that there are some details missing that are clear on the original,  I am still trying to obtain one of the reproductions of this patch and we will attempt to ascertain if the patch has a sticker on the reverse. 

 

NYPD - ESU 75th Anniversary Patch

Here we go again !! It has come to our attention that this patch has been spotted without our sticker on the reverse. Please note that authentic patches all have our logo on the back, UNDER the plastic backing. If you are offered one without a sticker, it's a fake !! Additionally, there are several other tell-tale signs, one of which is the fact that it has two "tails". There is also another major mistake, which I will not identify. If you have a patch that you think is questionable, please contact us.  I am still trying to obtain one of the reproductions of this patch. 

NOTE: I believe that there is now another 2nd Reproduction of this item that is being offered on E-Bay. They have fixed some earlier mistakes. Remember, if there is no sticker on the back, it is a reproduction !!

 

Toronto Police Sex Crimes Unit Patch

This patch has been offered on E-Bay by a dealer in Richmond Hill, Canada.  He claims that he purchased a lot of patches on the cheap from a another seller in Quebec. But he did not have an email address to provide me. Since warning him that it was a reproduction he has not offered any others. If you look closely at the seal you will see that there are some details missing that are clear on the original. 

 

Toronto Police Homicide Unit Patch - 1st Issue

This patch has been offered on E-Bay by the same  E-Bay dealer in Richmond Hill, Canada.  He has also been notified that this is a reproduction as well.  If you look closely at the skyline you will see that there are some details missing that are clear on the original. Also, it is only partially embroidered. I guess profits come first over quality.

 

Sachsen Polizei MEK / ZFD Patch

This patch has been offered on E-Bay by the same  E-Bay dealer in Richmond Hill, Canada.  He has also been notified that this is a reproduction as well.  To many mistakes to list. Check out the  original. 

 

Sachsen Polizei SEK Patch - Color Version

This patch has been offered on E-Bay by the same  E-Bay dealer in Richmond Hill, Canada.  He has also been notified that this is a reproduction as well.  If you look closely at the lions head / crowns you will see that there are some details missing that are clear on the original. 

 

NYPD - Aviation Unit  75th Anniversary Patch

Here we go again !! It has come to our attention that this patch has been spotted without our sticker on the reverse. Please note that authentic patches all have our logo on the back, UNDER the plastic backing. If you are offered one without a sticker, it's a fake !! This is VERY close to the original. There is one major mistake, which I will not identify. If you have a patch that you think is questionable, please contact us.  

 

NYPD - Regulation Patch - Subdued

This patch was done for ESU. It was to be presented for consideration to be worn on the all weather uniform. Ultimately it was rejected but some members opted to wear it on the heavy vest.

While I have no claim on the NYPD Patch design, collectors should know that all the current ones flooding the market were not done by us. Pease note that the authentic patches we did for the uniform consideration all have our logo on the back, UNDER the plastic backing. If you are offered one without a sticker, it was not done by us !! This is VERY close to the original. I made a slight change to the design, and the fakers copied it !!! Not an original thought in the bunch !!!

 

NYPD - Regulation Patch - Subdued

This patch was also done for ESU. It was to be presented for consideration to be worn on the all weather uniform. Ultimately it was rejected but some members opted to wear it on the heavy vest.

While I have no claim on the NYPD ESU Patch design, collectors should know that all the current ones flooding the market were not done by us. Pease note that the authentic patches we did for the uniform consideration all have our logo on the back, UNDER the plastic backing. If you are offered one without a sticker, it was not done by us !! This is VERY close to the original. 

 

 

 

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Last modified: September 18, 2008