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Home > News Counterfeit News"Fake Fragrances...Counterfeit Perfumes May Contain Urine, Bacteria, Antifreeze"Leamy and Weber write, "For most shoppers, getting fancy-looking goods at low prices is a good enough reason to buy counterfeit products. But a knockoff is not always a great deal, especially when it comes to counterfeit perfume, because a fake fragrance gets absorbed into the skin. Active ingredients found in counterfeit fragrance include things like urine, bacteria, antifreeze,' Valerie Salembier, senior vice president and publisher of Harper's Bazaar, said." "Growing Threat of Substandard and Counterfeit Medicines in Developing Countries""According to the U.S.-based Center for Medicines in the Public Interest, counterfeit drug sales alone will reach $75 billion globally in 2010, an increase of more than 90 percent from 2005. Various factors contribute to the growth of substandard and counterfeit medicines, including the globalization of trade and weak regulatory capacity in developing countries." "The Fight Against Fakes""Child labor, terrorism, human trafficking: Buying counterfeit designer goods is hardly harmless, Dana Thomas reports, Every time I give a talk on the luxury business today and I get to the subject of counterfeiting, the same thing happens. The room grows absolutely silent as I put forth the facts: It is estimated that up to 7 percent of our annual world trade — $600 billion worth — is counterfeit or pirated; that fakes are believed to be directly responsible for the loss of more than 750,000 American jobs; that everything from baby formula to medicine is counterfeited, with tragic results; that counterfeiters and the crime syndicates they work with deal in human trafficking, child labor, and gang warfare; and that counterfeiting is used to launder money, and the money has been linked to truly sinister deeds such as terrorism." "MarkMonitor Finds Online Drug Brand Abuse is Growing""As more people try to save money when purchasing drugs and more companies look to streamline operations, especially in the current economy, the cost savings and efficiencies of e-commerce become even more attractive, presenting a tempting opportunity for online fraud and brand abuse on both the supply and demand side of the equation." "[$2.2 Million in] fake Mercedes parts destroyed"Dajani writes, "If the fake parts are major parts of the car, such as the brakes, and they are Chinese-made from an unknown company, they could suddenly stop functioning and cause major accidents."
" "Counterfeit prescription drugs a deadly problem""It is estimated that one in 20 pharmaceutical products on the market is counterfeit, with the number rising to one in three in some developing countries. Participants at the Global Forum on Pharmaceutical Anticounterfeiting in Paris recently demanded increased cooperation at all levels and a framework convention to fight counterfeiting of medicines. Combating counterfeit drugs requires the involvement of all parties in the healthcare and pharmaceutical delivery system, placing the onus on manufacturers, all supply chain stakeholders, patients and health professionals as well as regulators and law enforcement to mobilize against fake medicines. Counterfeit drugs penetrate health systems throughout the world, both in industrialized and in developing countries." Jail Time for the Purchase of Counterfeits?"The European Commission is concerned about the growing involvement of organized international criminal gangs. This has prompted some member states to take a harder line. Authorities in France and Italy are not just targeting those who produce and sell fakes but also those who buy them. In France, the maximum fine is 300,000 euro or three years in jail." Counterfeit Products Infiltrate the Pro Race Car IndustryCounterfeit post anchors have been discovered on a variety of race car helmets. This part is needed for the driver to attach a neck guard to his/her helmet which prevents spine and neck injuries. This particular helmet can be seen throughout professional racing events like NASCAR, NHRA, IHRA and other major events. "Counterfeit Antimalarial Drug Discovered in Ghana""Quantities of a prescription medication used throughout the world for treating malaria have been identified...The fake drug found in Ghana did not contain the active pharmaceutical ingredients of the Novartis Coartem® product it was being sold as, posing a significant health threat to patients relying on the medication. A major barrier in combating malaria throughout much of the developing world is the widespread presence of counterfeit and adulterated drugs, which undermines the public health. Not only do these drugs fail to deliver the appropriate treatment to individual patients—putting their lives at risk—but they contribute to the growth of drug-resistant strains of malaria." Counterfeiting of Copywritten Works Costs U.S. BillionsCopyright industries are a huge part of the U.S. gross domestic product. The article addresses the effect of piracy on the industry and commends a new report released by International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA). "[A]ccording to industry estimates, global piracy of U.S. copyrighted works costs our economy around $58 billion each year, with 373,375 lost American jobs, $16.3 billion in lost earnings, and $2.6 billion in lost tax revenue to the government." "EU Statistics Show Counterfeit Imports Doubled in 2008"Bewley writes, "The number of counterfeit goods seized at the European Union's external border more than doubled in 2008...Last year customs seized a record amount of counterfeit goods, with 178 million goods detained, compared to 79 million in 2007. About 20 million of the detained goods were potentially dangerous to consumers, said the commission." Counterfeiting & Piracy "Fueled by the Anonymity and Ease of the Internet""Counterfeiting is often regarded as a harmless way to pick up a luxury look at a fraction of the designer price…But this innocuous, "no-harm/no-foul" view of counterfeiting is itself a fakery. Bogus goods are, in fact, a dangerous enterprise that threatens lives and livelihoods." Wotherspoon,Cheng and Martineau continue, "Those ubiquitous Louis Vuitton purses sold on bedsheets by street vendors don’t represent an isolated amateur act -- they are directly linked to fake housing components, fake vaccines and even fake airplane parts. The ever-growing counterfeiting problem, fueled by the anonymity and ease of the Internet, has led to: ruined homes in Florida because of suspected counterfeit drywall; fake alcohol sent overseas untaxed and with unknown contents; phony Malaria drugs that don’t work and lead to deaths around the world." Counterfeit Parts Infiltrate Aerospace ProjectsNevison writes, "Electrical, military and aerospace industries face a dangerous resurgence: the unintentional use of counterfeit components in place of certified parts. The problem is huge in scope because nearly anything can be counterfeited...bolts, nuts, rivets and fluid bolts are all listed as components that can easily be replicated and sold. But the list doesn't end there. Electronic components, such as capacitors and integrated circuits, as well as materials like titanium and composite chemicals, are also commonly counterfeited." Romantic Notions of Modern Day CounterfeitersNew Zealand girl nearly electrocuted by counterfeit GDH hair straightener, Vine goes on to write about the dangers of counterfeiting; “Fake pharmaceuticals and fake parts for cars and trucks are further examples of commercial imitation with life threatening consequences." Furthermore, the article addresses how these modern day counterfeiters are romanticized, "In China, where an estimated 85% of the world's counterfeit goods come from, they have a name for [counterfeiters]: Shanzai culture. According to Forbes magazine the phrase literally means 'mountain fortress, conjuring up a romantic notion of bandits in a mountain hideaway taking potshots at giants.'" Counterfeit Drugs, Auto & Plane Parts - The Western Misconception“Westerners often envision Chinese counterfeit goods as fake luxury goods… this is only a fraction of the country’s counterfeiting operations. The most lucrative counterfeit product on the Chinese Market is… counterfeit drugs. Other counterfeit products potentially posing health and safety hazards included auto and plane parts.” Stratfor’s article goes into detail on global counterfeit logistics and hot spots. The U.K. Takes Action on Counterfeit DrugsAccording to Drakulich, "The United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) seized nearly half a million pounds worth of counterfeit medicines on Mar. 26, 2009 in Middlesbrough, England, according to a MHRA press release. The enforcement team arrested four Chinese nationals allegedly involved in the sale and supply of counterfeit drugs." |