Homeland Security and anti-counterfeiting groups are cracking down on phony items that steal the hard-won good will of legitimate band names. But for the first time these crusaders decided to focus on the consumer. If they have their way, customers who knowingly buy phony goods could face fees or even prison time.
A lot of cash in the sector
Not only are there open markets all across the nation that sell knock-off counterfeit merchandise, but rogue websites have started to appear in recent years. The $650 billion a year industry has grown quite a bit, according to Daily Finance. You can get Prada, Gucci and Rolex pretty much anywhere now in a fake form.
Just like 'Whac-a-Mole'
These rogue sites, themselves counterfeits, look like the real thing and are very difficult to trace. When one is closed down, another pops up quickly; a phenomenon that Kristina Montanaro, of the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition, likens to the arcade game "Whac-a-Mole."
Montanaro explained that there are many ways people are attempting to stop the counterfeiters from working, such as blocking them from running credit cards. This is done through charge card issuers and processors, according to Montanaro in her seminar called "Beyond Whac-a-Mole: Brand new Initiatives in Intellectual Property Enforcement.
Watch out flea markets
About 70 percent of brand-name merchandise includes knock-offs at flea markets, according to the United States Department of Homeland Security. The department has been going to flea markets recently to bust people for selling the knock-off items. Millions in merchandise has been taken through a variety of raids.
Public awareness
A site called DesignsFauxReal.com was just launched by the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition in order to help consumers understand how bad it is to purchase fake brand-name things like this. Slogans such as "The timeless gift of charge card fraud," and "Free identity theft with every purchase" are put on the site that looks like a rogue website itself.
Montanaro said that customers purchasing from these online websites are taking a great personal risk:
"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
Margaret Chin is a New York City Councilwomen who hopes to pass legislation making it unlawful to purchase phony merchandise, just like the laws found in France and Italy. Lots of people agree with the idea and want the law also. Her plan would make it punishable by a year in prison and $1,000 in fees.
Chin said:
"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."
Other cities in the U.S. will probably pass similar laws if the New York City law passes soon.
A lot of cash in the sector
Not only are there open markets all across the nation that sell knock-off counterfeit merchandise, but rogue websites have started to appear in recent years. The $650 billion a year industry has grown quite a bit, according to Daily Finance. You can get Prada, Gucci and Rolex pretty much anywhere now in a fake form.
Just like 'Whac-a-Mole'
These rogue sites, themselves counterfeits, look like the real thing and are very difficult to trace. When one is closed down, another pops up quickly; a phenomenon that Kristina Montanaro, of the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition, likens to the arcade game "Whac-a-Mole."
Montanaro explained that there are many ways people are attempting to stop the counterfeiters from working, such as blocking them from running credit cards. This is done through charge card issuers and processors, according to Montanaro in her seminar called "Beyond Whac-a-Mole: Brand new Initiatives in Intellectual Property Enforcement.
Watch out flea markets
About 70 percent of brand-name merchandise includes knock-offs at flea markets, according to the United States Department of Homeland Security. The department has been going to flea markets recently to bust people for selling the knock-off items. Millions in merchandise has been taken through a variety of raids.
Public awareness
A site called DesignsFauxReal.com was just launched by the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition in order to help consumers understand how bad it is to purchase fake brand-name things like this. Slogans such as "The timeless gift of charge card fraud," and "Free identity theft with every purchase" are put on the site that looks like a rogue website itself.
Montanaro said that customers purchasing from these online websites are taking a great personal risk:
"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
Margaret Chin is a New York City Councilwomen who hopes to pass legislation making it unlawful to purchase phony merchandise, just like the laws found in France and Italy. Lots of people agree with the idea and want the law also. Her plan would make it punishable by a year in prison and $1,000 in fees.
Chin said:
"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."
Other cities in the U.S. will probably pass similar laws if the New York City law passes soon.
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