Surelock Brand Protection

During the past 10 months, the Surelock Brand Protection Team have been directly responsible for some of the biggest seizures of counterfeit designer wear, high end watches and perfumes ever seen in UK, working with the authorities to take these sometimes-dangerous products off of the streets and assisting in the prosecution of major criminal gangs.

A great deal of hard work and professionalism goes into these operations, test buys, surveillance, undercover work and research, then working in partnership with The City Of London Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) who progress the investigations and carry out the enforcement actions and prosecutions.

This is in addition to the regular work we do with respective Trading Standards Officers all over UK who have faced government cut backs but still manage to work so hard in protecting the consumers.

Greater Manchester Police and the Operation Vulcan Team have been responsible for policing Manchester’s fake City, recently making some of the biggest seizures ever in UK and closing down numerous illegal businesses in the area. 

Counterfeiting is not a victimless crime. The counterfeiters often mimic popular brands and create counterfeit products which are similar in appearance but lack the quality and safety standards of the original product, particularly on imports coming into UK from China and Turkey, where they are mass manufactured in sweat shops, albeit the quality of these counterfeits are getting better. They often sell their products at lower prices to attract unsuspecting consumers. These goods can be offered to people online, on social media, at car boot sales, local markets and in retail outlets, especially in your local shopping center and are wholesaled in areas like Manchester, Birmingham and Leicester.

Nobody wants consumers to be the victim of counterfeit substandard goods that could harm them or leave them out of pocket, so it’s always worth looking out for those tell-tale signs. Be aware of cheap prices, take note of where the product is being sold and pay attention to the packaging and labelling of the items, it is easy to compare with the genuine products online.

Fakes such as perfumes, toiletries, candles or jewellery can be hard to detect but asking yourself some simple questions can keep you safe.  We always say that if something is too good to be true, it usually is.

To avoid buying counterfeits you should:

• Shop from reputable retailers: Buying gifts from reputable retailers and online marketplaces can help ensure that you’re purchasing genuine products.
• Be cautious of online ads and promotions: Scammers often use online ads and promotions to lure consumers into buying counterfeit products. Be cautious of ads that promise big discounts or unrealistic savings.
• Double check the packaging and labelling: Look for any signs of poor quality, such as misspellings, incorrect logos, or low-quality printing. Genuine products will have consistent labelling and packaging.
• Compare prices: If a product is being sold at a much lower price than usual, it may be a counterfeit. Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.
• Examine the product: Counterfeit products may have a different weight, texture, or smell than the original product. If the product doesn’t feel or look right, it may be a fake.

Surelock are specialists in Brand Protection and protect our client’s intellectual property rights, conducting numerous investigations and online take downs worldwide, working with the authorities on enforcement action and prosecutions – take a look at our brand protection services

If you need help building a brand protection strategy for your business or with pro-active investigations to help stop the counterfeits, then please do not hesitate to get in touch, we are always happy to talk and advise. https://www.surelock.org/contact-us