A Surrey County Council investigation has uncovered a market in deadly car seats that can kill a child at just 30mph. The council’s trading standards team is warning families of young children not to buy the illegal seats, which are imported from China and fail all UK safety standards. Crash testing done by Britax shows […]
£10m Worth of Cosmetics Seized at Channel Tunnel
Border Force officers at the Channel Tunnel entrance in France have seized around 578 boxes of counterfeit cosmetic gift sets with a potential value of up to £10 million. The seizure was made in the early hours of 28 August as officers carried out checks on a Dutch-registered vehicle en route to a business park […]
Be on Your Guard Ireland from an Influx of Seasonal Counterfeit Clothes and Scam Websites
As the start of Irish debs season draws near the European consumer centre has made a statement urging all to be cautious when ordering high-end clothing online. Often these rogue retailers use credentials that are registered in European nations to add to the perceived legitimacy of their site, but in many cases the businesses were […]
Carshalton Conman Hassan Salimi Ordered to Pay Back £100,000
A Carshalton man found guilty of selling fake goods must pay back £100,000 or face jail. Hassan Salimi was given one of the largest fines seen by Sutton Council’s trading standards team at a confiscation hearing at Croydon Crown Court on August 5. He must pay an £80,000 confiscation order, £5,000 court costs, a £750 […]
Fraudster Jailed for Selling Fake JLS, Justin Bieber and 1D Merchandise
The successful outcome of this case follows investigations by Surelock in conjunction with Suffolk Trading Standards. A fraudster who made thousands of pounds selling fake JLS, Justin Bieber and One Direction clothes to unsuspecting victims through eBay has been jailed for 12 months. John Young, of Sotterley Road, Hulver, near Beccles, was sentenced at Ipswich […]
Stop the Fakers Tarnishing a Glittering UK Success, says Harrods boss
Britain’s best-known department store is in the midst of a massive £250 million refurbishment. Michael Ward, managing director of Harrods, has already overseen a string of dramatic changes, from multi- million-pound designer escalators to a coruscating chandelier for the store’s rear foyer by renowned glass designer Dale Chihuly. A seven figure sum is reputed to have […]
Turn Back Crime
A fake watch, cheap cigarettes, a pirated DVD: What may seem like innocent purchases, could be funding criminal activity, such as cybercrime, the illegal arms trade, kidnapping, crimes against children and even terrorism. This film exposes the link between purchasing counterfeit items and the more dangerous crimes that purchasing enables. The first of a series, […]
Sunday Mirror Finds a Hidden ‘Shopping Mall’ Selling Fakes
The Sunday Mirror (June 15th) reports that a hidden shopping mall selling fake designer goods has been discovered behind a row of derelict shops in the Bury New Road area of Manchester. The secret shopping village – on a once bustling street in Manchester – is packed with fake Louis Vuitton handbags, Nike football shirts, […]
Increased Crackdown on Links to Counterfeiters’ Websites
The government has stated that fakers account for 10 per cent of global trade and is to step up its crackdown on fake goods in the UK. A new report has revealed that clothing, tobacco and alcohol are the top products targeted by counterfeiters. 72 million website links were removed in the past year, up […]
Exmouth Woman Who Sold Fake Cosmetics On eBay Spared Jail
Deborah Hamber made £24,720 between July 2012 and February 2013 A woman has been spared prison after admitting selling thousands of pounds worth of fake cosmetics on eBay. Tests on a tube of mascara being sold by Deborah Hamber from her home contained twice the permitted level of lead, Exeter Crown Court heard. Hamber, 41, […]