News

Online | 04 November 2026 | 10:00 – 11:30 AM

On 4 November 2026, Frolgate Technology Group hosted a webinar on how Zimbabwean organisations can keep counterfeit ICT products out of their supply chains. Held in partnership with the Computer Society of Zimbabwe (CSZ), HP and Cisco.

Frolgate, as an authorised partner of both HP and Cisco, brought the partners together to give IT and procurement teams practical tools to protect their organisations.

The session featured three speakers:

  • Walter De Meyer, District Lead, HP Southern Africa
  • João Pedro Santos, Supplies Anti-Counterfeit and Fraud (ACF) Program Manager, HP Africa
  • Meenakshi Gunoo, Brand Protection Investigator, Cisco Middle East and Africa

Why counterfeit ICT is a procurement risk

Counterfeit technology is not just a product problem. It is a procurement risk that can enter through an apparently legitimate supplier. The speakers highlighted three main exposures:

  • Security vulnerabilities: counterfeit hardware can compromise the root of trust and cannot receive official security patches.
  • Operational disruption: substandard or salvaged components can fail under load, causing outages, rework and unexpected replacement costs.
  • Financial loss: organisations pay for genuine products but receive goods with no manufacturer warranty or support.

The speakers also drew an important distinction. Counterfeit products are fakes made or altered without the manufacturer’s consent, and their sale is illegal. Grey market products are genuine but sold outside authorised channels, so they may not carry warranty or support. Used, compatible and refurbished products are different again. Misrepresenting any of these as new and genuine is the core issue.

HP: protecting your organisation from counterfeit ICT products

HP showed that suspicious products can enter at four points: the offer, the award, the delivery and the use. Warning signs include unusually low pricing, missing manufacturer certification, vague product details and unexpected packaging or part numbers on delivery. A registered or established supplier is not, by itself, proof that every item delivered is genuine.

HP shared five safeguards every buyer can put into practice:

  1. Specify clearly: use accurate part numbers and authenticity requirements, and state that the manufacturer may inspect goods on delivery.
  2. Check the supplier: verify the supplier’s identity, eligibility and sourcing with the manufacturer.
  3. Challenge unusual offers: investigate unexplained discounts, vague descriptions and inconsistent documents.
  4. Keep traceable records: retain quotations, invoices, product identifiers and supplier communications.
  5. Plan acceptance checks: define how products will be verified before final acceptance or payment.

At delivery, HP recommended three checks: match the order, invoice and items received; inspect seals, labels and packaging; and validate authenticity with the manufacturer where needed. HP’s Anti-Counterfeit and Fraud programme supports this through buyer education, Customer Delivery Inspections for eligible HP supplies, and enforcement support with the authorities.

HP closed with a simple 30-day plan: review procurement templates in week one, train buyers and receiving teams in week two, pilot receipt checks on one product category in week three, and document improvements in week four.

Cisco: spotting fakes and building protection into tenders

Cisco Brand Protection leads investigations into channel compliance, counterfeiting and software resale fraud, working with customs and law enforcement to protect customers and critical infrastructure.

Meenakshi explained the two main types of counterfeit Cisco hardware:

  • 100% fake or replica: unauthorised copies built from salvaged chips, substandard circuit boards and fake chassis.
  • Counterfeit upgraded: genuine lower-end units altered to look like higher-spec models, with flashed ROMs, uncertified memory or relabelled optics.

Transceivers (SFPs) and switches are the most frequently counterfeited Cisco products. Buyers can check for authentic security labels, the correct current Cisco logo, proper carton labels and certificates, and untampered security seals.

Cisco’s strongest practical recommendation was a brand protection clause for every RFP and tender. The supplier guarantees that each product is new and sourced from the manufacturer or its authorised resellers, eligible for manufacturer warranty and support, supplied with a valid software licence, and reported to the manufacturer as sold to the customer. If any product fails these conditions, the supplier is in breach of contract.

Key takeaways

  1. Compliance is the foundation, not the finish line. A registered supplier and a valid tender do not, by themselves, authenticate the products delivered.
  2. Verify the supplier and verify the product. Use procurement controls and physical acceptance checks together.
  3. Buy through authorised channels. Genuine products come with manufacturer warranty, support and security updates.
  4. When in doubt, document, pause and seek support from the manufacturer, your supplier and the relevant authorities.