| Time and time again, there is a crooked | | | | somebody their job. |
| vendor on the auction powerhouse that is | | | | |
| peddling counterfeit products and passing | | | | What are the most commonly counterfeited |
| them off for the real thing. This is a | | | | products? |
| growing problem for unsuspecting buyers who | | | | |
| shell out tons of money a year for products | | | | • Car parts |
| that turn out to be a fake. | | | | |
| | | | • Airplane parts |
| When you are shopping on the internet, beware | | | | |
| of what you are buying since you may not be | | | | • Baby formula |
| getting what you paid for. | | | | |
| | | | • Toys |
| Product counterfeiting is big business. Just | | | | |
| about every product you can think of is being | | | | • Purses |
| counterfeited from Rubik's cubes to Louis | | | | |
| Vuitton wallets. DVD's, designer watches, | | | | • Shampoo |
| and software are among the most counterfeited | | | | |
| items. | | | | • Sunglasses |
| | | | |
| Sometimes, it can be obvious to the buyer if | | | | • Movies |
| the product is counterfeit especially if the | | | | |
| seller wants to offer you a Rolex for only | | | | • Medical devices |
| $30. You can assume that it is fake or | | | | |
| stolen. Authentic Gucci handbags sell for | | | | • Consumer drugs and medicines |
| over $1000 each. If somebody wants to let it | | | | |
| go and sell it to you for only $80, it is | | | | • Food products |
| counterfeit. If a street vendor is peddling | | | | |
| a movie that is still showing in theaters, it | | | | • Apparel |
| is pirated. | | | | |
| | | | • Jewelry |
| What about those same products on the | | | | |
| internet? | | | | • Cosmetics |
| | | | |
| The same principle applies. Be cautious of | | | | • Software |
| prices that seem too good to be true. It is | | | | |
| likely that these products are counterfeit | | | | • Music |
| products. If they are legitimate, then they | | | | |
| are stolen. | | | | • Etc. |
| | | | |
| There are some buyers who do not mind buying | | | | People have been known to be apprehended for |
| counterfeited items. However, most of the | | | | buying, selling, or possessing counterfeit |
| time, the quality of counterfeited items is | | | | products. In July, 2006, Austin police |
| usually very poor. The DVD movie that you | | | | arrested four vendors for selling counterfeit |
| bought at the flea market is so grainy that | | | | DVD's, CD's, and movies during a raid of a |
| it is impossible to view. That Bulova watch | | | | flea market in Austin, Texas. The raid |
| that you bought from a street vendor will | | | | netted approximately 1,700 counterfeit items. |
| usually rust before the battery needs | | | | |
| changing. | | | | According to the Austin Police Department, |
| | | | Austin is a top hotspot for the pirating |
| Who does counterfeit products affect? | | | | business. |
| | | | |
| Whenever you purchase counterfeit products, | | | | You worked hard for your money. If you want |
| the real manufacturers lose sales. Buying | | | | good, quality products, then be sure that |
| cheap knockoffs threatens the livelihoods of | | | | what you are paying for is the real thing and |
| the people who worked the assembly line to | | | | not some cheap clone. By heeding this |
| put together the product that the | | | | advice, we can put a stop to the crime of |
| manufacturers are selling. So by purchasing | | | | product counterfeiting. |
| such fake goods you can ultimately cost | | | | |