Earlier this week the English-language edition of the Global Times carried an unnerving report about the scourge of knock-off condoms. According to the article “a third of the condom market in some areas comprises knock-offs,” which provide little or no protection against pregnancies or STDs.

The good news is a workshop producing fake brand name condoms in Shaoyang, Hunan Province was busted in July:

“Inside the 20-sqaure-meter underground workshop, shirtless workers were found lubricating condoms with vegetable oil to make them smooth and shiny before placing them directly in a fiber bag without sterilization.”

Vegetable oil? Charming. You can read more about the bust here.

The bad news is there are thought to be around a million condoms already in circulation from this workshop alone. "Most fake condoms were sold either online or to distributors in Beijing, Dongguan, Jieyang and Southeast Asia," an officer from the Shaoyang PSB was quoted as saying.

The report claims that the best way to avoid knock-offs is to purchase condoms in “branded supermarkets or pharmacies.” Online retailers, markets and roadside stores are all identified as places where consumers are more likely to encounter fake brand prophylactics.

As to how to identify fakes, the Global Times article quotes a user as saying, “The color of the packaging is darker from that of real ones, and the color of the condom is also different, and it broke easily.” The last tip is not particularly helpful - it’s a little late to realize you’re using a fake when your condom breaks.