Counterfeit toys are back and even harder to spot this year. In fact, counterfeits are hitting online shopping sites in record numbers. According to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 284 shipments of counterfeit toys worth $25 million just last year alone.Consumer Correspondent Jeff Rossen is working with the experts at The Toy Association to bring you the latest information on counterfeits. Watch the full report in the video player above. Joan Lawrence is the senior vice president for The Toy Association’s Standards and Regulatory Affairs. She says, this year, we need to hear this warning more than ever. Counterfeit manufacturers are using cheaper materials to sell toys at cheaper prices. And thanks to inflation, we’re at serious risk because we all want to save money. Before you hit the “buy” button while shopping online this holiday season, we bought counterfeit toys and legitimate versions. See if you can spot the fakes: Watch the video above. Dangers of counterfeit toys:The important thing to remember is that counterfeit toys don’t go through the more than 100 strict safety tests and standards that legitimate toys have to go through in the United States. Cheap knockoffs can break easily and cause sharp edges that can hurt kids. Counterfeits can also have more choking hazards. Some fake toys may use unsafe chemicals and paints. There could be electrical hazards. Tips on how to spot the fakes while online shopping: Sold by: If you’re shopping on Amazon, scroll down to the box on the right-hand side of the screen. Right there, you can see who it’s sold by. Click on the name to make sure it’s a legitimate business with a real address and contact information.Brand or manufacturer: This is important if you’re buying something with a "big name" like Marvel action figures or Super Mario toys. Under the title of the toy, make sure the link is of a name you recognize. Like "Brand: Marvel" or "Hasbro" or "Mattel." Click on that link as well. For some of the larger toymakers, Amazon will put a link to its store underneath the title of the toy. For example, "Visit the Melissa and Doug Store" or "Visit the LEGO Store."Check the toy: You’ve already made the purchase, it’s on your doorstep — but you’re not so sure about it. Take a look at the toy to make sure the brand and manufacturer are located on the toy. On the Star Wars action figures we bought, the "Star Wars" logo and "Hasbro" logo were both missing.Packaging: Most legitimate toys will have pictures of their packaging in the photo gallery.Blurry pictures: Experts say, if the pictures in the photo gallery are hard to see and too blurry, it’s best to steer clear.Look at the reviews: Other customers will post their reviews of the toys. They will also post pictures so you can see exactly what you’re getting.Price: We all want a good deal. But if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you’re seeing that toy for $35 everywhere online, but you can get it for $7, it’s probably a knockoff.The Buy Safe American Coalition and The Toy Association are both urging Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act. This bipartisan legislation would modernize consumer protection laws and require online marketplaces to collect and verify basic business information from sellers, making it harder for con artists and foreign enterprises to target American consumers with fake products on leading online marketplaces. This would help prevent criminals from selling stolen and counterfeit goods online. The INFORM Consumers Act just passed the House and will now be taken up in the Senate. The hope is that it will be signed into law before the end of the year. More about The Toy Association: The Toy Association, Inc. is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses that design, produce, license and deliver toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. Our 950+ members drive the annual $32.6 billion U.S. domestic toy market, and our organization has a long history of propelling the health and growth of the toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $98.6 billion. The group is the industry’s voice on the developmental benefits of play and the global leader in toy safety. Its mission statement reads in part: “Our Mission is to be a unifying force for members’ creativity, responsibility, and global success, advocating for their needs and championing the benefits of play.”Interested in reading more about recalled and counterfeit toys? Here's the latest “Trouble in Toyland” report from the U.S. PIRG.