That's because supply chain issues are making it easier for scammers to take advantage of people looking for the perfect gift for the little ones in their families.

Data from Customs and Border Patrol shows agents seized more than 23,000 shipments of counterfeit goods from October 2020 through July of this year. The big concern is that if they are fakes, you could be putting kids at risk not only for choking hazards, but also dangerous materials and paints.

Hannah Rhodes led the annual “Trouble in Toyland” report this year by the Public Interest Network. She said people should understand counterfeit toys are not like knockoff purses, which are simply poor quality.

“What we found is counterfeit and knockoff toys pose a serious danger to children”, Rhodes said.  “There can be toys that are not going through safety standards for things that we know are big safety hazards, like toxic chemicals or small parts that children that are under the age of three can choke on.”

Rhodes also offered some tips on what to look for when buying or receiving gifts for children.  She said when shopping online, it’s important to take extra time to read through the entire product description and look for mislabeling in the package.

“It’s also important when receiving a toy to look at the package to also look for those things and to really look to see if there is packaging that’s opened or a seal that’s missing”, Rhodes stressed.

Another thing for consumers to consider when shopping for children’s toys is that when a toy is very popular, it’s more likely that there will be counterfeit versions of that item being sold in e-commerce, so it’s crucial to read through the packages and website descriptions for those toys.