How do they get away with it?

I looked in a well known high street pawn brokers in Chatham yesterday.  I just looked in and saw a '72 style Telecaster Thinline hanging up.  It said on the ticket clearly Fullerton USA - £599.  WHAT!  I went in...

Even before getting within 4 yrds of it I could see it was a wrong'un but I asked for it off the wall for a quick look.

Hmm....   Let us start with the obvious things I noted.  

1. No serial on the headstock - I think it highly unlikely one of these would not have one, some early ones may be but.

2. No bullet truss rod.  EH!  All Thinlines with humbuckers had the same neck as the custom, i.e three bolt with adjuster and a bullet truss. 

3. black paint inside the body... what?

4. The bridge was held on by normal woodscrews... through holes in front of the bridge pieces as well as through the centre... again WHAT!

5. no Fender stamp on the bridge saddles, which never looked like been within 5000 miles of the USA!

6. pickups - gold plated.  Yes you heard me... I know.  No Fender logo across them and only 2 screw fitting - all thinlines had 4 screw adjustment.

7. turn over... four bolt neck plate.  Wrong.  With a stamped serial number... on a USA post 72 instrument! 

8. Strings anchored through a piece of plastic set in the body.... sorry not 6 brass farrules...

So I hand it back to the guy and said "That isn't a USA Fender mate and start to explain".... He was "too busy" and moved off.  I pondered a call to trading standards but what is the point - sadly through a Coldplay wannabee may well get his Dad to shell out for it for Christmas, that would be a travesty.