INVESTIGATORS & SECURITY CONSULTANTS

Surelock – Brand Protection Services

01 Mar

Surelock – Brand Protection Services

In recent years Surelock’s Brand Protection Team have been directly responsible for some of the largest seizures of counterfeit designer wear, high end watches and perfumes ever seen in the UK, resulting in criminal court actions, 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 purchases, surveillance, undercover work and research, then working in partnership with the Police, local Trading Standards and UK Border Force, who progress the investigations, carry out enforcement actions, prosecutions and major seizures at the ports.

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 is getting better. They 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, Southall 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 jewelry 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:

  • Buying gifts from reputable retailers and online marketplaces can help ensure that you’re purchasing genuine products.
  • Be cautious of online ads and promotions, using genuine artwear to advertise counterfeits. These 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 counterfeits, then please do not hesitate to get in touch, we are always happy to talk and advise.https://www.surelock.org/contact-us