الخميس، 26 سبتمبر 2013

Some Lawmakers Want Buying Knock Offs To Be Illegal

مرسلة بواسطة Unknown في 1:52 ص
By Cornelius Nunev


Homeland Security and anti-counterfeiting organizations are cracking down on phony goods that steal the hard-won good will of genuine band names. But for the very first time these crusaders have decided to focus on the customer. If they have their way, customers who knowingly buy phony items could face fines or even prison time.

Sector makes a ton of cash

It is unlawful to sell knock-off counterfeit merchandise, and the industry has grown to be a $650 billion a year industry, according to Daily Finance. A lot of rogue websites are appearing that sell face Rolex, Gucci and Prada.

Battle against it

International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition's Kristina Montanaro explained that stopping these online websites is like playing "Whac-a-Mole" because every time one is found, it disappears and pops up as something else. They are extremely difficult to trace and they look like they are the real thing.

Montanaro gave a seminar called "Beyond Whac-a-Mole: New Initiatives in Intellectual Property Enforcement." The seminar explained that charge card issuers and processors are working to stop the online websites. They stop the sites from running credit cards when one is detected. Montanaro also discusses different ways that are being used to track the counterfeiters down.

Homeland Security

Meanwhile, the United States Department of Homeland Security is making a sweep of the country's flea markets in search of knock-off items. The investigation has led to a series of raids, during which agents have seized fake merchandise worth millions. According to the Department of Homeland Security, nearly 70 percent of all brand-name merchandise being sold at these outlets were pirated knock-offs.

Telling the public about this

A brand new site named DesignsFauxReal.com is meant to show how significant it could be to buy fake stuff with brand names on it. The site looks like a rogue site but actually has slogans such as "The timeless gift of credit card fraud," and "Free identity theft with every purchase," on it. The website was launched by the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition to show the dangers of it.

An enormous risk is being taken when a consumer buys from the online websites, according to Montanaro:

"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."

A criminal offense

Margaret Chin is a New York City Councilwomen who hopes to pass legislation making it unlawful to buy bogus merchandise, just like the laws found in France and Italy. A number of people agree with the idea and want the law as well. Her plan would make it punishable by a year in prison and $1,000 in fines.

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 most likely pass similar laws if the New York City law passes soon.




About the Author:



0 التعليقات:

إرسال تعليق

 

Copyright © 2011 Politics news | Design by Kenga Ads-template