Beware: counterfeit sales common online

By: Anne Robinson

Amr8798@gmail.com

www.twitter.com/amr8798

The internet is a great thing, a couple of quick key strokes and the world is at our fingertips. We can look up directions, great restaurants, movies, news, and perhaps most convenient...we can shop...in our pajamas...while watching Conan.

But, of course, there is a downside to this convenience. The internet is also a convenient place for sellers to sell counterfeit items. Which means, especially when buying designer items online, you need to beware of the fakes.

Take ebay for example, a great place to buy a designer item for less, right? Someone else bought it, used it, and now wants to make some money off it. Well, don't count on it being as authentic as it might say in the listing. An estimated 4 million counterfeit items are listed on ebay each year! Ebay is not held responsible for the sale of counterfeit items, and as it becomes more common, it is also becoming harder to stop and prosecute those involved in these illegal sales.

Business to business websites have proven to be an easy way for sellers to buy illegal items from illegal Chinese vendors. The knock-offs are cheap, so they arrive here and can be sold for quite a profit.

Counterfeit sales online are so prevalent because they ensure that the buyer pays for the item before being able to inspect it. Since you can't inspect the item before purchasing it online, there are some other things to be aware of to help you spot the fakes right off the bat.

For instance, some sites advertise selling designer bags at huge discounts. So, do a little research...(Ok, I'll help you get started) designers like Hermes and Louis Vuitton have corporate policies to never sell bags at discounted prices. Which means, the bags would either be fake or the sale illegal...neither option sounds very promising.

Watch out for clothes that say are "inspired by" another collection. In some cases, the "inspiration" is almost identical to the original. Forever 21 ran into this problem when they were sued by Design House Trovata because their shirts, which they claimed to be inspired by Trovata designs, looked identical to the originals. Check out the picture. The top shirts were found at Forever 21 and the bottom are the originals. I'm thinking that's a little more than inspiration.

Even though we love to pull out those credit cards and make instant transactions, it's important to be aware that the internet is fueling counterfeit sales. To be sure you don't get a fake, or scam your favorite designer out of their money, just keep to doing your online shopping directly on designer websites. There you are guaranteed an authentic item, great customer service, and a legal transaction.

Sale of counterfeit goods funding terrorism

By: Anne Robinson amr8798@gmail.com
Browsing through the tables filled with accessories all bearing a label that is shockingly similar to a high end designer has become a common tourist activity in NYC. Where can you find the best looking knock-off Marc Jacobs bag for under $50? Well, did you ever think about where the profits of that sale are going? To say the least, I was shocked and think my table browsing days on the streets of NY are over.

It is estimated that the selling of counterfeit goods has caused U.S. businesses to lose an average of $250 billion dollars a year! Companies are struggling as it is, imagine what we could do if that money was being invested in these businesses rather than leaving the country after illegal transactions.

Radical terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaeda, are making profits from the sales of counterfeit goods like Nike sneakers and Calvin Klein jeans. On many occasions, the FBI has found Al-Qaeda supporters with high quantities of counterfeit goods. There is also evidence that suggests profits made from a street vendor on Broadway were used to fund the first attack on the World Trade Center.

Terrorists know these street carts will tempt American shoppers, don't give in! As your designer land detector, I promised you that I'll make sure what you pay matches the quality you receive. Therefore, I know that a cheap accessory in exchange for a terrorist attack would not meet your standards.

So, the next time you are approached on the streets of NYC by the little old woman who is eager to make you the best deal of your life (so she says), picture Osama Bin-Laden behind the table...hopefully you'll decide against making a donation to his cause and will instead head to the trendy shops on 5th Ave to finish your shopping.