Anti-Counterfeit Crusaders Go After Consumers
Homeland Security and anti-counterfeiting groups are cracking down on bogus items that steal the hard-won good will of genuine band names. But for the first time these crusaders decided to target the customer. If they have their way, consumers who knowingly purchase counterfeit goods could face fees or even prison time.
Billions in industry
Not only are there open markets all across the nation that sell knock-off bogus merchandise, but rogue websites have begun to appear in recent years. The $650 billion a year sector has grown quite a bit, according to Daily Finance. You can get Prada, Gucci and Rolex pretty much anywhere now in a fake form.
Difficult fight
The websites are not easy to trace and pop up all over the place. Every time one is closed down, another pops up. Kristina Montanaro of the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition explained that trying to stop the online websites is just like playing "Whac-a-Mole" since the websites disappear and show up over and over. They look just like the real deal too.
Montanaro gave a seminar called "Beyond Whac-a-Mole: Brand new Initiatives in Intellectual Property Enforcement." The seminar explained that credit card issuers and processors are working to stop the online websites. They stop the online websites from running credit cards when one is detected. Montanaro also discusses different ways that are being used to track the counterfeiters down.
Watch out flea markets
About 70 percent of brand-name merchandise involves knock-offs at flea markets, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The department has been going to flea markets recently to bust people for selling the knock-off goods. Millions in merchandise has been taken through a variety of raids.
Awareness
In an effort to educate consumers to the seriousness of knowingly buying cheap brand-name clones, the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition has launched a site called DesignsFauxReal.com. The tongue-in-cheek site looks like a knock-off rogue site, but couples its images of alluring merchandise with slogans like, "The timeless gift of credit card fraud," and "Free identity theft with every purchase."
Montanaro explained that getting from the online websites can be dangerous. She said:
"A lot of people don't realize, you're handing your card information over to hardened criminals, so you're at the risk of identity theft."
Illegal act
But other anti-piracy crusaders want to take it even further. In Italy and France, getting bogus merchandise is a punishable crime. A few would like to see that take place in the United States as well. New York City Councilwoman Margaret Chin has proposed legislation in her city to make the purchase of fake brand items a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by fees of up to $1,000 or up to a year behind bars.
According to Chin:
"The bottom line is counterfeiters have to sell to do their job, and we need a law in place that punishes buyers for supporting this illegal trade."
The New York City bill might be just the start in the States. Other state will probably follow suit.
Billions in industry
Not only are there open markets all across the nation that sell knock-off bogus merchandise, but rogue websites have begun to appear in recent years. The $650 billion a year sector has grown quite a bit, according to Daily Finance. You can get Prada, Gucci and Rolex pretty much anywhere now in a fake form.
Difficult fight
The websites are not easy to trace and pop up all over the place. Every time one is closed down, another pops up. Kristina Montanaro of the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition explained that trying to stop the online websites is just like playing "Whac-a-Mole" since the websites disappear and show up over and over. They look just like the real deal too.
Montanaro gave a seminar called "Beyond Whac-a-Mole: Brand new Initiatives in Intellectual Property Enforcement." The seminar explained that credit card issuers and processors are working to stop the online websites. They stop the online websites from running credit cards when one is detected. Montanaro also discusses different ways that are being used to track the counterfeiters down.
Watch out flea markets
About 70 percent of brand-name merchandise involves knock-offs at flea markets, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The department has been going to flea markets recently to bust people for selling the knock-off goods. Millions in merchandise has been taken through a variety of raids.
Awareness
In an effort to educate consumers to the seriousness of knowingly buying cheap brand-name clones, the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition has launched a site called DesignsFauxReal.com. The tongue-in-cheek site looks like a knock-off rogue site, but couples its images of alluring merchandise with slogans like, "The timeless gift of credit card fraud," and "Free identity theft with every purchase."
Montanaro explained that getting from the online websites can be dangerous. She said:
"A lot of people don't realize, you're handing your card information over to hardened criminals, so you're at the risk of identity theft."
Illegal act
But other anti-piracy crusaders want to take it even further. In Italy and France, getting bogus merchandise is a punishable crime. A few would like to see that take place in the United States as well. New York City Councilwoman Margaret Chin has proposed legislation in her city to make the purchase of fake brand items a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by fees of up to $1,000 or up to a year behind bars.
According to Chin:
"The bottom line is counterfeiters have to sell to do their job, and we need a law in place that punishes buyers for supporting this illegal trade."
The New York City bill might be just the start in the States. Other state will probably follow suit.
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Anti-Counterfeit Crusaders Go After Consumers
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