Counterfeit Stores Are Not New, Remember Fake Balmain Store in Dubai!

In the midst of the recent fake Apple Store in China, we have to remember that this is not a 'one off'.

We have, over the years, been made aware of this activity going on all over the world. We remind you of the fake Balmain Store, told by INDIA-JEWEL JACKSON  back in 2009 reproduced below.


"How does the saying go? “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is…”

I should have listened.

A couple of weeks ago, I made the 13-hour journey to the United Arab Emirates, a.k.a. shopper’s paradise. Virtually everyone has set up shop in the golden city of Dubai; YSL, Manolo Blahnik, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel—the entire fashion set is present and accounted for. And with the current state of the economy, it wasn’t uncommon to see storefronts peppered with signs that read “Sale!” “25% off!” “Buy One, Get One Half Price!”

Imagine my surprise when I ran across a standalone Balmain boutique at the base of my hotel. All kinds of thoughts of fashionable grandeur ran through my mind… Rihanna, Kate Moss, exaggerated shoulders, Beyonce, Cassie, crystal studded sandals, Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, marching band ‘drum major’ vests… It was all too much to process. Balmain? In my size? On sale for 75% off?
I should have know something was fishy—who advertises a sale on neon poster-board?

Against my better judgment—lured by the thought of buying Balmain at Bebe prices—I bought two pairs of jeans and scurried upstairs to try them on with the YSL shoes I’d bought earlier that day. Since I’ve been on Weight Watchers, I’d actually unknowingly dropped a pant size, so my new fancy jeans were a bit too big. I scurried downstairs to make a quick exchange when I was told, “No. All Sales are Final.”

Slightly angry, but more confused, I decided to do a bit of investigative research. (A bit late, I might add.) First, I Goggled. No information on a Balmain store in Dubai. Then, I searched for legitimate store locations. No Balmain boutique south of Turkey. Finally, I called the flagship Balmain boutique in Paris. Definitely no Balmain store in Dubai.

I’d been duped.

Selling knockoff purses out of a warehouse in Chinatown is one thing, because if you’re shopping in Chinatown, you’re obviously looking for fakes. But setting up an entire store under the guise of a haute couture brand is another. They’d blatantly ripped off the current runway collection, the shopping bags, the price tags, even the logo was perfect. (How do these people sleep at night?)

Needless to say, I’ve returned to NYC with two pairs of fake denim that I can’t be bothered to wear, but can’t bear to get rid of. I guess I just think of them a reminder of why I hate fakes.

At the end of the day, I was the posterchild for ‘American greed.’ Ah, well. You live and you learn!" quote~India-Jewel Jackson.

This is just one of the countless stories we have had confirmed over the years, this poses a new threat for brand protection as the audacious grow bolder.

Counterfeit goods fund violent gang activity

 

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- LAPD investigations show that gangs are deep into the counterfeit goods business, enabling gang members to fund illegal activities.

It takes low risk but yields high reward.

"They're using every single penny of that to fund their criminal activity," explained an undercover police officer.

For Los Angeles street gangs, counterfeit goods make for big business.

"They're making more money selling pirated CDs and DVDs than they would selling narcotics," said LAPD Senior Lead Officer Randy McCain. "They make a lot of money and they make the money faster."

Investigators say it's important for people to understand that buying those cheap counterfeit purses, sunglasses or shoes is not a victimless crime.

"We've found it tied to murder, extortion, human trafficking, insurance fraud," listed Kris Buckner, a former L.A. County Sheriff's deputy. Buckner now trains law enforcement personnel on how to spot and investigate counterfeit goods.

"In the past couple of years, we've seen a huge surge in gang members, 18th Street, MS-13, 42nd Street Little Gangsters," said Buckner.

Why? It's all about economics.

"They're now trying to run their organizations like Fortune 500 companies. They need to raise revenue, but if they're out there shooting each other, doing drug sales, their potential to make higher revenues is actually lower," explained Buckner.

So every time you buy a fake Fendi or a knock-off Chanel, you could be putting cash in the pockets of some of L.A.'s most dangerous gangs, including the Mexican Mafia.

"What does the Mexican Mafia do with that money? Smuggles drugs into the prison system, kills people, all sorts of things," said Buckner.

Investigators say cutting off demand from shoppers will cut down on crime as a whole.

"They come here and sell DVDs for super cheap, make a lot of money to fund buying guns that could either take someone off the street or a fellow officer," explained LAPD Officer Matt Shafer.

An undercover LAPD officer who could not reveal his identity said that gang members also use the money from counterfeit goods to buy cars.

"Escalades, Lexus and Mercedes," lists the officer.

In one case, he testified against two Compton gangsters caught selling counterfeit Nike shoes.

"They are Compton Crips with extensive rap sheets, weapons charges, murder, attempted murder," described the undercover officer.

Also, it's not just a matter of safety. A 2005 study found that the sale of counterfeit goods cost L.A. County alone $483 million in lost tax revenue and 106,000 jobs. That's just for one year.

And it's not just bags and shoes.

"Airplane parts, brake pads, medicine, dog food," lists Buckner.

Shafer describes it as a "turf war" among rival gang members.

"One gang member or crew will be territorial over their turf, and if another comes over, fights ensue," Shafer said.

Home video seized from a Carnales gang member shows a gang initiation, but earlier on the tape, footage shows the gang members staking out a corner of a parking lot to sell their counterfeit DVDs.

"So basically what they're doing is, they're up here selling their DVDs and smoking marijuana and just acting like the little fools they are," said McCain.

In another incident, the LAPD set up a sting where an undercover officer rolled up to a gang-infested neighborhood with a car full of counterfeit cigarettes. The officer left the car door open with the music blaring. In less than a minute, a man jumped into the car and attempted to steal it. Unfortunately for him, the engine was cut off by police. One more gang member trying to profit off counterfeit goods was taken off the streets.

(Copyright ©2011 KABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

via Get more Los Angeles News »

Counterfeit Apple Stores surface in China - report

Chinese counterfeiters have a long history of cloning hardware from major tech manufacturers, but now they're going a step further by cloning entire stores.

A US blogger living in Kunming in Southwest China noticed what appeared to be an Apple store pop up in her town, complete with the store's trademark spacious, airy interior, blue-shirted staff, products to play with, and upstairs seating area.

Counterfeit Apple products are nothing new but evidence suggests that counterfeit Apple Stores are cropping up in parts of China. Photographs suggest that Apple brand is being abused.


The author of the Bird Abroad blog, an anonymous 27-year-old female living in Kunming, China, claims that she walked into one of the counterfeit stores recently, just a few blocks away from where she and her husband live.


Photographs on the blog entry show what looks like, to all intents and purposes, an Apple Store. The author was apparently stopped from photographing by shop staff and security guards. One photograph bears the legend 'Apple Stoer' above some Chinese characters.

"They looked like Apple products. It looked like an Apple store. It had the classic Apple store winding staircase and weird upstairs sitting area. The employees were even wearing those blue t-shirts with the chunky Apple name tags around their necks," the author writes.

"This was a total Apple store ripoff. A beautiful ripoff – a brilliant one – the best ripoff store we had ever seen (and we see them every day). But some things were just not right: the stairs were poorly made. The walls hadn’t been painted properly.

"The name tags around the necks of the friendly salespeople didn’t actually have names on them – just an Apple logo and the anonymous designation 'Staff'. And of course, Apple’s own website will tell you that they only have a few stores in Beijing and Shanghai, opened only recently," she continues.

The author also contends that in a ten-minute walk in the surrounding area, she and her husband found two more rip-off Apple Stores.

Ironically, Apple reported yesterday that China was key to the company's quarterly revenue of $28.57bn. "I firmly believe that we're just scratching the surface right now. I think there is incredible opportunity for Apple there," Cook said.

If the report on the Bird Abroad blog is true, then it seems that the clamour for Apple-branded products in China is perhaps even greater than Cook believes.

via macworld.co.uk

Fake Out: The Crackdown on Chinatown's Counterfeit Empire

By: Alexandra Phanor-Faury 

Even though Georgia native Audrey Estilette had heard about the counterfeit designer handbags sold in New York’s Chinatown, on her recent trip to the city, the fourteen year-old was more interested in exploring the authentic side of the neighborhood—or so she thought. Standing on Canal Street, surrounded by a swarm of vendors vying for her attention with whispers of Louis Vuitton and Chanel, it quickly became obvious to Estilette that sightseeing might have to take a back seat to bargain shopping. “Everywhere you turn, someone is trying to sell you a bag,” she says, she and her girlfriends proudly toting the knockoff Longchamp “Le Pliage” handbags they scored. “You don’t have places like this back home. You know, all out in the open and stuff.” 

On an average day in Chinatown, illegal counterfeit vendors and their lookouts snake through the crowds, peddling their fake bags. For soccer mom Terry Johnson, on vacation from Florida, the illicit nature of the not-so-discreet transactions and the prospect of swinging a “designer bag” on her shoulder for a fraction of the price provides a strange thrill. “It’s a fun game to come to Chinatown to buy bags,” she says smiling, clutching four nondescript black plastic bags full of fake handbags. “I always get a rush from a good deal,” she adds, before zeroing in on a vendor holding a laminated sheet of images of Chanel bags. “Oh, let me try to get this guy.”

For years, Chinatown has been so synonymous with fakes—bags, watches, perfumes—that it’s become part of the fabric of the community. That’s why Chinatown’s Council member Margaret Chin is on a mission to rid the lower Manhattan neighborhood of its unofficial title as the Capital of Counterfeits with a proposed bill that would make it illegal to purchase counterfeit goods in her district.

“There is a huge growing demand for these low-cost illegal trademark goods,” explains Chin over the phone from her office. “There are illegal vendors crowding in front of the businesses and apartment buildings. Our constituents and people in the community are sick of living this way. Local businesses have to deal with shoppers coming in trying to negotiate a price, as if they were counterfeit. Why is that okay?”

If Chin’s bill becomes law, anyone caught buying any fake goods would be slapped with a misdemeanor charge that will come with a $1000 fine—or up to a year in jail. Italy and France have both adopted a similar law that goes after the shopper. “That’s crazy,” says Estilette, echoing the sentiment of most of the shoppers we spoke with. “Why don’t they just arrest these vendors? They are the ones selling it in front of everyone.”

That would seem to be the logical course of action. In fact, there’s already a law on the books that makes selling counterfeit goods illegal, although it’s difficult to enforce without a consistent police presence to catch vendors in the act. While there have been small victories in the fight against counterfeiters in Chinatown, like the 2008 police raid that unearthed over $1 million worth of knockoffs and closed down 32 illegal storefronts, with the NYPD stretched thin on issues like terrorism, the problem continues to grow. Accordingly, Chin believes it’s time police turn their focus on the buyer.

“This bill will stop shoppers from coming here specifically to purchase these counterfeit goods. They should experience what Chinatown really has to offer. If they want a bargain, there are a lot of places in the city where they can purchase a designer bag for an affordable price. I go to those places,” says Chin.

But not everyone thinks locking up shoppers is the best way to clean up Chinatown. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce’s David Louie thinks Chin’s efforts are misplaced. “What’s the goal? To get rid of the sell of counterfeit goods, right? You don’t have to be a Dick Tracy to figure out who is selling illegal goods. Why not enforce the law that’s already on the books? If they wanted to enforce it, they would,” offers Louie. “But it’s certainly not gonna help our image if we start looking up tourists.” While it was difficult finding vendors willing to talk about the proposed legislation, one laughed at the idea of the bill saying, “It’s never going to pass. No counterfeit, no tourist, no money!”

“Poor tourists and their bags, I’m tired of hearing that,” says an exasperated Paul Cantor, who’s in full support of Chin’s proposed bill. “They know what they are doing and they should suffer the consequences. How do you allow straight out lawlessness to exist out in the open?” Cantor, a community board member, has lived in the neighborhood for 16 years. “Why do I have to ask them to move from my doorway so I can get in and then the vendor yells at me? They punched a neighbor who asked one of them to move from in front of his building. There is no reason why at the very least the people out there selling can’t be cognizant of who lives in the neighborhood. I know who they are.”

If arguments about the poor quality of life and revenue loss in Chinatown don’t do much to dissuade shoppers from coming to the area for knockoffs, than Robert Barchiesi of the International Anti Counterfeiting Coalition hopes the sobering facts behind the production of cheap fakes will have shoppers thinking twice before bargaining for a Gucci tote replica.

“I think Margaret Chin’s bill is a creative idea, and will be a deterrent. Shoppers need to be educated on the big issues linked to counterfeit goods, like child labor, prostitution, gangs, and in some instances, terrorism. This is far from a victimless crime,” says Barchiesi. “If people knew just what their money is supporting...”

But even when confronted with the moral arguments against purchasing counterfeit goods, Johnson says that her $95 Louis Vuitton bag or $200 Chanel purse isn’t responsible for the world’s ills. “I’m not hurting anyone. Sorry if I can’t afford the $2000 version.”

Says Rory Chadwick of Midtown Authentic, a reputable consignment shop that sells vintage designer bags, “I know people who don’t have a lot of money and want to get a nice bag. Every week, they save up or buy a vintage bag for half the price. That’s the right thing to do. Instead, these people are cutting corners with these cheap bags.” An expert at detecting fakes for over 16 years, Chadwick sent an email to Chin when the bill was announced to offer support, along with his help in training the NYPD in spotting knockoffs. “It’s not just one person getting one bag. Now, people are coming from Florida and buying 200 bags, and then selling them on eBay or Craigslist as the real thing. Council Member Chin’s bill may be a landmark stepping stone to combating counterfeit bags.”

Enforcing the law and starting a dialogue on the illicit counterfeit trade—as well as debunking the notion that it’s a victimless crime—might be the first step to dealing with Chinatown’s counterfeit vending issues. Still, it’s difficult to image legislation will be anything more than a stopgap, when the real problem here is our insatiable appetite for status symbols, at any cost.

via BlackBookMag

 

Coach Donates to Japan Aid

Coach

Popular fashion brand Coach has donated 400 million yen (which is $5 million in American dollars) to the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Here are details about other wonderful people and organizations who are helping Japan……

jewelry designer Alexis Bittar who will donate 100% of the sales made on his website next week to the Catholic Relief Services for Japan.

Tadashi Yanai, president of Uniqlo is donating $12.2 million of his own fortune, $4.9 million from his company and $8.6 million in coats, jeans, towels and 300,000 pairs of its Heattech thermal underwear to victims.

Demi Lovato has donated $1 million of her own money to the relief cause.

The Walt Disney Company has committed $2.5 million in humanitarian aid to the victims.

Clint Eastwood and Warner Bros. have committed proceeds from Clint’s Hereafter DVD to Japan.

The New York Yankees have donated $50,000 to the Salvation Army and $50,000 to the Red Cross.

Jack Johnson, who is touring in Japan, has canceled his tour and is donating to Global Giving’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.

Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, and his wife Wendy will match the first $100,000 donated via Citizen Effect to the American Red Cross.

Lady Gaga designed a white bracelet with red lettering that retails on her website for $5. She raised $250k in 48 hours.

Sandra Bullock donated $1 million to the American Red Cross.

Vital Tips To Stay Safe From Fake Suppliers

You can start your own business as a wholesale products supplier and reap high profits while remaining your own boss. Many people have discovered the hidden potentials of wholesale business while others are on their way to find it out. When in practical field you will definitely run into the hands of middleman who try to steal your hard earned money. So as an amateur businessman you have to take care of several things and beware of the fake product suppliers spread all over the internet.

A simple keyword search for suppliers will yield thousands of wholesale suppliers and many of them will turn out to be non-genuine ones. There are several techniques and tips that can protect you from them. First of all, such suppliers will promise to provide you with the lowest ever rates for the highest quality products and will claim to be the best from every aspects. Always remember that if the supplier gives you unbelievable rates and deals then he is a fraud. If the wholesalers asks you to give processing fee then again he is a cheat, as legitimate dealers never ask for processing fees. On other hand, also remain cautious about the middle men who claim to be suppliers and swear to offer the best quality on lower rates.

There are other ways which will help you stay safe from these fake suppliers and distributors. If you have doubts on the credibility of a certain supplier browse his website and check the contact us option. His company's full name, his own name, mailing address and the contact number, would reflect that he is a representative of some genuine company.

If you still have doubts, check whether his postal address is valid or not? Inquire about his company's registration number and call on the mentioned contact number. The answering person should instantly give you the company's name; if not then there are chances that the supplier is fake. Besides, the legitimate suppliers always mention their land-line number.

Remember that the legitimate suppliers will also ask your business name, tax number and social security number, otherwise he is more likely to be a middleman. To further check the authenticity of supplier you can ask him to provide you with a free sample product, legitimate supplier will happily give you access to the sample product while the fake one wouldn't be able to do so. It has also been experienced that if you ask too many questions, the fake ones stop answering while genuine suppliers doesn't. To remain on safer side always use secure payment methods like PayPal, Escrow etc. If you apply the above listed tips and certain a supplier doesn't fit on the criteria, you should look for another supplier.

articlesnatch.com 

Buying a Replica Handbag in NYC Could Soon be Illegal

Bill would bag phony-purse buyers

Pretty soon, it could be more than just the fashion police who have a problem with your shoddy knockoff bag, like this bogus Louis Vuitton.

Buyers could face a year in jail or a £606 fine under a proposed bill by a city councilwoman fed up with cheapskate tourists and Big Apple residents flooding her district in search of fake designer merchandise.

"We don't want to be known as the place to come to get counterfeit goods," said Councilwoman Margaret Chin, whose Chinatown district is ground zero for counterfeiters.

Under Chin's bill, which is being introduced Thursday, shoppers caught buying any counterfeit product could be jailed or slapped with a fine of £606 -- a little less than the price of Marc Jacobs' frequently copied Baroque Quilting Mini Stam bag, which retails for £758.

"It's a very big problem," Chin said of the counterfeit market. "People are still coming, and the industry is growing, and we have to stop the demand. We need people to know that they are feeding this demand."

Several of Chin's colleagues have expressed support for the bill, and she already has five co-sponsors.
The punishment might seem draconian, but it's necessary to curb the growing problem, she said.
She pointed out that the money that counterfeiters rake in often funds other nefarious activities, such as terrorism and unsafe child-labor practices.

But try telling that to bargain hunters. Christine Gambino, 21, of Staten Island -- who was in Chinatown yesterday sporting a fake Louis Vuitton handbag that cost her £24 -- vowed to continue to hit the neighborhood for counterfeit goodies.

"I'll take a risk and sacrifice to look good and pay less," she said.
Erma Charles of Brooklyn said she knows it's wrong, but she can't resist.

"Everyone steals," the teacher said as she walked in Chinatown. If the law passes, Chin said, she'll work to blanket problem areas like Chinatown with signs warning people about the new rules.

The law specifically states that buyers should know their goods are counterfeit because of the low price and location where they are buying them.

But don't worry if you're strolling down the street swinging your fake Vuitton and the police pass by. You have to be caught actually buying the goods to be charged, according to the proposal.
Surprisingly, legit merchants -- who could lose street traffic if the ubiquitous black-market vendors were to leave -- applauded the proposal.

Sandy Lui, manager of Optical 88 on Hester Street, acknowledged that she might lose customers, since many people come to Chinatown specifically to buy knockoffs, but she said she supports a crackdown on principle.

"It's wrong to sell [fake goods]. I don't like people coming in here assuming we also sell fake stuff," she said.Cops -- who have struggled to stop the growing problem -- said the law would be difficult to enforce. "It's never going to fly," one officer said.

Buyer beware: A proposed bill could land knockoff shoppers with a fine -- or even jail

www.nypost.com

1G fine for fake? Get real!
Bag buyers blast pol's knockoff bill
New York women strongly disagree about whether anyone should buy fake designer handbags or only pay full price for the real deal -- but they overwhelmingly blasted a proposed new law that would slap fines of up to a whopping £600 on people who buy counterfeits.

"I don't think it's a big deal to sell knockoff bags," sniffed Morgan Mikulaschek, 19, a student who lives on the Upper West Side, as she toted around a fake Fendi that she bought for £24.

"If they were selling real bags illegally, that's one thing, but they're fake -- so who cares?" Mikulaschek said   The real white leather pleated bag retails for £877

Morgan Mikulaschek, 19, paid £24 for her knockoff Fendi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I don't think the designers are hurt from it. Their regular customers aren't going to go down to Canal Street to look for fakes."

Jocelyn Rustemeyer, 23, said she prefers the real, £480 Louis Vuitton she was lugging around, but also copped to owning a counterfeit Coach for which she paid £12 several years ago.

"I think the fine is ridiculous," said Rustemeyer, a Greenwich Village real-estate agent. "People buying fakes obviously can't afford a £600 fine."

Even ladies who would never be caught dead with a knockoff pooh-poohed Councilwoman Margaret Chin's proposal to issue fines of up to £600 -- and a jail term of up to a year -- for counterfeit-buying customers, many of whom cram her Chinatown district daily.

Graduate student Danielle Bass, 28, of the Upper West Side, defended her £841 purchase of an authentic Tod's bag even as she blasted the proposed fine.

"It's upsetting to buy purses and see fake versions of them. If I'm going to wear designers, I'm not going to be cheap about it. When I buy bags, I make sure there aren't fake versions of them. This bag was worth the price," Bass said.

"But I think the fine is too harsh. You can't fine someone for liking a bag and not wanting to spend a lot of money for it."

Fordham Law Professor Susan Scafidi said that if Chin's bill passes, it would put the Big Apple on par with France and Italy, where buyers of counterfeits can be fined up to £901.

"I absolutely think it could affect the business," said Scafidi, who heads Fordham's Fashion Law Institute. "There are some consumers who will think twice."

Scafidi scoffed at the idea that the law would significantly harm New York's tourism industry.
"People have not stopped going to Paris," she noted.
www.nypost.com

Looks like some are not deterred, what's your thoughts?