Sunday, December 17, 2006
The Risky Business of Selling Counterfeit Items Online
Your girlfriend, sister or mother really wants a handbag for Christmas. Not just any old handbag. She wants one emblazoned with the infamous "LV" logo, which stands for high-fashion house Louis Vuitton. They go for thousands of dollars on eBay. Louis Vuitton has a knack for finding creative ways to incorporate that logo into its product. Anything with "LV" on it -- whether it be a shirt, scarf or handbag -- has become a necessity for fashionistas everywhere. That logo also has been pretty easy to copy. Perhaps one of the most famous knock-offs to date is a copy of the brown leather bag with the gold "LV" pattern. However, making and selling these purses is a serious crime, according to the North Carolina secretary of state. Making and selling any counterfeit product -- sunglasses, batteries, toothpaste, perfume -- is illegal.
"We believe very strongly that people [selling counterfeit items are] helping some very serious criminals and their enterprise," said George Jeter, public information officer for the secretary of state. Most counterfeit items come from overseas, Jeter said. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, almost two-thirds of counterfeit goods seized at U.S. ports of entry were manufactured in China. They also have found items being imported from Brazil, India, Russia and Korea. "We look for the sellers, the shippers and the makers," Jeter said. "They're not your friends. They don't care if they hurt you or not. They just want your cash."
Despite the risks -- exploding batteries with mercury in them, faulty lamps that could cause your house to go up in flames -- many people buy knock-offs. "A lot of people are willing to buy a counterfeit product," said Pauline Morrison, president of the Better Business Bureau of Central North Carolina. "We say, 'Buy at your own risk.' There's no guarantee." While Jeter said the agents who monitor counterfeit traffic won't stop someone with a fake bag slung over their shoulder, they will arrest people selling knock-offs. Even people selling replicas with disclaimers about the product not being authentic are at risk for arrest. "We often enforce replicas cases. They make it pretty much like the real deal but they put up a little sign," he said. "A little sign doesn't usually cut it. A lot of the designs and patterns are copyrighted and trademarked."
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"We believe very strongly that people [selling counterfeit items are] helping some very serious criminals and their enterprise," said George Jeter, public information officer for the secretary of state. Most counterfeit items come from overseas, Jeter said. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, almost two-thirds of counterfeit goods seized at U.S. ports of entry were manufactured in China. They also have found items being imported from Brazil, India, Russia and Korea. "We look for the sellers, the shippers and the makers," Jeter said. "They're not your friends. They don't care if they hurt you or not. They just want your cash."
Despite the risks -- exploding batteries with mercury in them, faulty lamps that could cause your house to go up in flames -- many people buy knock-offs. "A lot of people are willing to buy a counterfeit product," said Pauline Morrison, president of the Better Business Bureau of Central North Carolina. "We say, 'Buy at your own risk.' There's no guarantee." While Jeter said the agents who monitor counterfeit traffic won't stop someone with a fake bag slung over their shoulder, they will arrest people selling knock-offs. Even people selling replicas with disclaimers about the product not being authentic are at risk for arrest. "We often enforce replicas cases. They make it pretty much like the real deal but they put up a little sign," he said. "A little sign doesn't usually cut it. A lot of the designs and patterns are copyrighted and trademarked."
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