The Twelve (Horribly Fake) Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
One bootleg DVD

On the second day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Two exploding batteries ,
And one bootleg DVD

On the third day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the fourth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the fifth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the sixth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the seventh day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the eighth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Eight children a-choking,
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the ninth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Nine computers-a-crashing,
Eight children a-choking,
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the tenth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Ten extension cords a-blazing,
Nine computers-a-crashing,
Eight children a-choking,
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Eleven erroneous diabetic testing strips,
Ten extension cords a-blazing,
Nine computers-a-crashing,
Eight children a-choking,
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Twelve fire extinguishers malfunctioning,
Eleven erroneous diabetic testing strips,
Ten extension cords a-blazing,
Nine computers-a-crashing,
Eight children a-choking,
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

Brought to you by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Well, ladies and gentleman. It's been a mad, mad year of fakes. Here's hoping you bought authentic this holiday season. You wouldn't want that Christmas tree or Hanukkah bush a-kindling because of cheap lights.

Happy holidays!

Photo credit

PICA Seizes $10 Million in Counterfeits, Linked to Cleveland Drug Trade

The PICA Corporation, along with the FBI and ICE, have closed a one year investigation on Cleveland based retail stores proved to be selling counterfeit goods. On December 3, 2007, search warrants and cease and desist orders were issued to five 360 Clothing Studios and one store named Jazzy Looks.

Among the $10 million dollars of seized counterfeit products were also drugs and stolen property. 200 pounds of marijuana and two kilos of cocaine were found with 25,000 pairs of counterfeit shoes and 40,000 pieces of copycat apparel.

"The 360 Clothing Studios were one of the largest suppliers of counterfeit footwear and apparel in the greater Cleveland area. They attempted to legitimize counterfeit product by introducing it into retail stores in the area," said Tim Richissin, PICA operative.

The crime ring of ten people was charged with drug trafficking, burglary, receiving stolen property, weapons violation, trademark counterfeiting and criminal simulation.

Photo Credit

UN Ties Counterfeits to Organized Criminals

Long have experts been linking the multi-billion dollar counterfeiting enterprise with organized crime across the world. The latest political leader to address this serious concern is Sandro Calvani, director of the U.N. Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, who just compiled a report calling counterfeits a "21st century gold mine" for criminals who exploit trade routes also used in the drug trade, gun running and human trafficking.

"It is an immense source of profits which are readily reinvested in other illegal activities or used to launder money derived from other crimes," said Calvani.

The UN report discussed links between counterfeit CDs, DVDs, luxury goods and electronics and gangs including the Camorra in Naples, mafia in Russia, as well as Japanese Yazukas.

Read more about the UN report here.

Fake Contraception Poses Risks, say Authorities

Hundreds of allegedly fake condoms have been found and seized by officials in the United Kingdom this week. The fakes, which fall under the jurisdiction of Lambeth council in South London, are three-packs falsely branded as Durex. They pose a huge risk to consumers, as they are more likely to tear and can otherwise be unreliable.

"These counterfeits cannot be relied upon to protect people against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy," says Lib Peck, cabinet member for environment and culture.

Trading officials have not released a list of where such fakes might be sold, simply saying that shops in Brixton and Herne Hill have been raided. Consumers are urged to check the serial number on the product, and remain aware of the issue.

New Educational Website Fights Pirates

Microsoft has added a new element to their ongoing effort to fight fakes--an educational website to help consumers. In addition to suing 20 alleged pirates in 13 states as part of their continuing "Genuine Software Initiative", the industry giant has created www.howtotell.com, which helps their customers spot counterfeits.

How to Tell provides a rich amount of content aimed at enabling customers with the right information about identifying pirated software. Among its pages are tips on what to avoid and answers to common questions. The most interesting element of the website, though, is its gallery of recently seized fakes, which can provide a laugh about the design of phony software and helpful examples for you to match your own products against. Most importantly, How to Tell allows customers to report fakes.

In 2006 alone, the U.S. lost $7.3 billion to software pirates, among $40 billion lost overall in 102 countries, according to researcher IDC. This same study, sponsored by the Business Software Alliance, indicates 21% of all PC software is pirated.

With their "Genuine Software Initiative," Microsoft has been a leader against piracy since its infancy--though generally their pursuit of the issue has involved tracking down counterfeiters. How to Tell allows them to reach out to software consumers and raise awareness about the issue.

ACTA Mandate to Stamp Out Fakes

The fight for protection of intellectual property continues this week, with the U.S., European Commission and others banding together to announce their part in the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Current trading partners discussing the issue so far include Canada, the EU (27 member states from the United Kingdom to Lithuania), Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand and Switzerland.

“Global counterfeiting and piracy steal billions of dollars from workers, artists and entrepreneurs each year and jeopardize the health and safety of citizens across the world,” said U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab in a statement. “The United States looks forward to partnering with many of our key trading partners to combat this global problem. Today launches our joint efforts to confront counterfeiters and pirates across the global marketplace.”

ACTA will focus on three main areas--international cooperation, optimal practices, and strengthening the framework for IP enforcement.

International cooperation: Countries across the globe already coordinate anti-counterfeiting efforts, but having set standards in ACTA would help streamline all efforts. "These standards would then be spread to other countries if they wished to sign up to ACTA," reads the release from the European Commission in Brussels. "The EU has proposed transitional mechanisms and technical assistance to help advanced developing countries join the pact in the future."

Practices: The goal here is to establish "common enforcement practices" so that the promotion of intellectual property is strengthened. As one can gather by recent news reports, the European Union is increasing pressure on countries like China to actually enforce the anti-counterfeiting legislation they have scripted. "Closer coordination," says the EU, can only help this process.

Legal framework: In addition to coordinating enforcement rules, ACTA aims to create "a strong modern legal framework which reflects the changing nature of intellectual property theft in the global economy" including the problems posed by the ease of digital piracy, and ever-increasing threat on unhealthy counterfeit pharmaceuticals and food.

Read the US press release

Read the EU press release

Job Losses to Counterfeits

Fakes don't just cost companies revenue--they cause job losses and take money from your local economies:

According to the Straits Times, "International lawyers want more action against fake goods worldwide, as fakes improve in quality and with no dwindling of counterfeiters in sight.

At yesterday's International Bar Association (IBA) conference session at Suntec City on measures to combat counterfeiting and piracy, delegates spoke strongly about the issue - one seen as not only an economic threat but also involving serious safety, health and environmental concerns.

A global IBA survey on counterfeiting involving 39 countries is under way. It will be presented at next year's conference in Argentina.

The fake goods, ranging from boutique bags to designer clothes and other high-tech goods, take up between 5 and 7 per cent of the global trade, said Mr Clive Elliot, who is spearheading the survey.

The lack of enforcement action 'remains the rule rather than the exception' and the purpose of the survey is to identify key challenges and draw up a set of guidelines to use globally, he added.

Part of the allure for counterfeiters was in the cash windfalls to be made.

Canadian counsel Ira Nishisato pointed out that profit margins in the industry was 1,100 per cent compared to 300 per cent for heroin, citing a Motion Picture Association report.

Delegates also heard some 250 million such products were seized in the European Union countries alone last year, up from 75 million in 2005.

Fakes caused losses of between 120 billion euros ($250 billion) and 270 billion euros a year worldwide and some 200,000 European jobs."

Read the rest of the story here

Court orders destruction of fake Honda engines

Philippines--RTC Judge Roberto Chiongson has ordered the destruction of 22 faker Hondo general purpose engines. Chiongson issued search warrants against three business owned by Jose Zulueta in Bacolod and Iloilo, establishments raided in 2005 by the National Bureau of Investigation. As the month of October is Intellectual Property Rights month in the Philippines, Honda officials made public speeches concerning the importance of IP to students at the De La Salle University.

Honda's legal counsel--including Brigido Valmadrid highlighted anti-counterfeiting policies in Asia and the Philippines at the lecture, emphasizing the dangers of buying and using inferior products.

Before the destruction of the counterfeit engines, Honda held a presentation on how to spot a fake engine from the genuine product. Honda noted that counterfeit auto parts can cause fatalities--just one of many reasons why we should all steer clear and purchase through reputable channels.

Source
Photo Source

Pharmaceutical Updates

• Report: Counterfeit HIV/Aids Meds Flood Zimbabwe (Rod 2.0)
• New Tech Can Identify Counterfeit Drugs in Minutes (News Medical)
• Massive Counterfeit Drug Ring Cracked (in-Pharma)
• Most Hoodia Diet Pills are Fake, Study Says (PMC)
• Lawmakers Debate Import Safety, How to Stop Counterfeits (FDA News)
• As Counterfeit Medicines Reach Local Chemists, Are You At Risk? (Daily Mail)
• Vioxx Users Seek Company Help, Drug Companies Battle Counterfeits (NJ.com)
• Counterfeit Drugs Kill (The American)
  

Photo Source

Tech Roundup

• Look Alikes of Cell Phone Brands Flood Stores (Daily Star)
• Microsoft: Long Way to Go on Counterfeit Software (ZD Net)
• Counterfeit DVDs Less Than a Deal (The Star)
• iPhone Knockoffs Steal Sales in Asia (MacDailyNews)
• Comment: Knock off the Asian knockoffs (EE Times)
• Nokia Moves to Counter Fake Batteries (Business Daily)
  

Girl Who Came to U.S. for School Busted at Illegal Sweatshop (NY Daily News)

16-year-old Letitia Clemente left her parents corn farm in Mexico last year to learn English in America. She soon became one of 11 workers working 10-hour-days sewing counterfeit Izod, Fubu and NFL gear just to make ends meet. Meanwhile, the counterfeiters running the operation--Jung Ryu and his wife Ji Yung Ryu--sat comfortably in a $1.5 million home in Melville, Long Island. Read what happened to their College Point Factory here.

News Roundup

Flea Market's Phony Goods Fuel Nefarious Criminal Plots (Pocono Record)

news roundup, ed. 9

Speed Dial Toy Phone
Originally uploaded by mary@found

• Nokia Blames Counterfeits (The Telegraph)
• Fake Anti-Malarials Hit the Market (The East African)
• Johnson & Johnson and the Case of Diversion Diversion (PharmaFraud)
• 3 Steps to Avoid Fake Meds Online
• iPhone nano?
• China Steps up Efforts to Cleanse Reputation (New York Times)
• Counterfeit Viagra from China Prompts Warnings in India (Earth Times)
• Helping Patients Avoid Counterfeit Drugs Over the Internet (FDA)
• China Jails Man Who Sold Fake J&J Diabetes Test Strips (Bloomberg)
• Fake Medications are a Growing Threat (U.S. News & World Report)
  

Cheap Chocolate Will Cost Your Appetite

chocolates!
Originally uploaded by ranjit

Most people would probably agree with me in saying that while premium chocolates are divine, a good cheap candy bar now and then is a life necessity.

Then again, I am willing to sacrifice a few extra bills to keep worms out of my chocolates--the appalling truth South Korean consumers were welcomed by after unwrapping 'Made in China' chocolates this week.

Right now, we're loving Sir Hans Sloane chocolates of London, an exclusive brand that makes premium organic blends of our favorite confection.

"Before Models Can Turn Around, Knockoffs Fly"

Gen Art Fresh Faces in Fashion: Los Angeles (October 2006)
Originally uploaded by Gen Art

With the design piracy bill in America being introduced in the Senate, knockoff fashion has been getting a lot of press. The New York Times just ran a story on the effect technology, which has increased the ease of quickly copying a garment, has had on the fashion industry.
--------------------
Excerpt:
“For me, this is not simply about copying,” said Anna Sui, one of more than 20 designers who have filed lawsuits against Forever 21, one of the country’s fastest-growing clothing chains, for selling what they claim are copies of their apparel. “The issue is also timing. These copies are hitting the market before the original versions do.”
--------------------
Full Story Here

Reactions to Dana Thomas' New York Times Piece

After publishing "Terror's Purse Strings," an op-ed where Newsweek's Dana Thomas discussed the paramilitary connection to counterfeiters, the New York Time's received some interesting responses. Be sure to check out Thomas' new book, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Lustre, now out in bookstores.


To the Editor:

In ''Terror's Purse Strings'' (Op-Ed, Aug. 30), Dana Thomas says the counterfeit handbags for sale here may have been made by child laborers in China .

I live in Westport, Conn., where ownership of the correct handbag is essential, and I'm lucky enough to be able to afford it. But each season, as I walk the Marc Jacobs or Prada to the register, I look at the price tag, become queasy and just say no.

I am an admitted hypocrite who goes in for designer furniture and status automobiles. These luxury items are used for at least several years, so I somehow rationalize their purchase. The designer bag is used for one season and then its panache is no more.

Perhaps Ms. Thomas can help more directly by creating a new movement -- call it the ''re-use last year's handbag movement.'' For one season, we don't buy a bag. (Hey, we're breadwinners, give birth and raise children -- so we can handle the self-deprivation. )

Then we donate the price of a new bag ($800 to $4,500) to a charitable group that focuses on Chinese child laborers. That may do a lot more good than running out to buy original Gucci bags.

Westport, Conn., Aug. 30, २००७
-----------------------------------------

To the Editor:

As the quality of luxury goods diminishes, how much difference is there between the fakes and the real things? No wonder shoppers willingly admit to buying fakes.

I certainly don't want to support terrorists, but as designers try to make more and more money by cutting costs the prices border on extortion -- not that anyone ''needs'' a designer label।

Nutley, N.J., Aug. 30, २००७
-----------------------------------------

To the Editor:

Dana Thomas says ''counterfeiting rackets are run by crime syndicates that also deal in narcotics, weapons, child prostitution, human trafficking and terrorism.''

But as the Wal-Mart phenomenon has illustrated, everyone likes a bargain and for the most part is disinterested in the source of production.

With the profits of the big designers bordering on the usurious, and constant media images of glamorous women toting expensive designer bags, the idea of owning a few is, of course, rather seductive. Yet women might be persuaded not to buy the counterfeit bags if the real ones were not so ridiculously expensive.

It comes down to a purely economic choice: $20 for a rip-off or hundreds for the real thing?
Valparaiso, Ind., Aug. 30, २००७
-----------------------------------------

the tech files, ed. 3

Gameboy has come a long way since it was a grey clunky hunk of plastic I carried in my lunch box. engadget's great Keepin' it real fake blog posts documented a Gameboy clone we don't like. Mostly because, like in the picture above, there's a chance it will explode. When we said we wanted to be 'on fire' in Advanced Super Mario, we didn't mean it as a literal.

Keepin' it real fake, part LXXIV: the Gameboy Micro PMP clone (engadget)

Keepin' it real fake, part LXXII: Sudoku handheld resembles Sony Ericsson phone

Photo Credit

news roundup, ed. 8

Terror's Purse Strings (New York Times)
Uganda: MP Pins Minister Over Fake Seeds, Pangas (New Vision)
Counterfeit Pills: The European Threat (NAM)
Fake Britain: The Rise of the Imitation Industry (The Independent)
Ports Teeming with Counterfeit Goods (LA Business Journal)
India Steps Up Fight Against Piracy (BBC)
Fake Brand Seizures Hit New Half Year High (Japan Times)
Two Extremes in Chinese Knockoffs (Autosavant)
Nike Wins Lawsuit Against Chinese Footwear Manufacturers (GhettoGrind)
Counterfeit Anti-Malaria Drugs Seized (East African Standard)
Not So Heavenly Hosts (Counterfeit Chic)
Counterfeit Drugs: Seal the Loopholes (The Nairobi Nation)
France Intercepts Counterfeit World Cup Rugby Balls (Reuters)
BMW and DaimlerChrysler Threaten Legal Steps if Chinese Copies Are Shown at the IAA (Forbes)
Two Held Over Fake Cattle Vaccine (Daily Monitor)

Photo Credit

Surprise, Surprise: Radar Gets Sarcastic

radar
Originally uploaded by BehindDarkEyes

Ever tasteful Radar online is running a feature today called "Knockoff Nation," that basically tells you how to buy counterfeits without getting into trouble. Seems a little dodgy to promote something illegal, but hey, we all have different journalistic standards.

Read the piece here and tell them what you think.

Electrical product counterfeiters pay heavy price in Canadian courts

NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 22, 2007 -- Underwriters Laboratories (UL) announced today a guilty plea obtained in the case of an Ontario import-export firm stemming from previous charges against two individuals by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in connection with the sale and distribution of dangerous consumer electrical products bearing counterfeit UL marks.

The sentence was imposed by Ontario Court Judge Ramez Khawly on April 10, 2007 on Cana Import Export Ltd., which was found guilty on two counts of fraud for dealing in counterfeit products. Each count carries a fine of C$20,000 with six months to pay or three months in jail for default on the first count, and one year to pay or three months in jail on the second count.

Saleem Khan, 59, of Toronto, was identified as director for Cana responsible for payment of the fines or subject to imprisonment if found in default by the court. Khan was also found guilty on two counts of possession of counterfeit products, with one-year probation under a plea agreement. He and a relative were arrested in 2005 after a two-month investigation.

During the initial search of Cana's outlet and warehouse in Etobicoke, Ontario, police seized over 500 electrical power strips, nearly 1,000 orange heavy-duty extension cords, and 5,000 various household extension cords. Samples of the bogus electrical products--which were determined to bear forged UL safety certification markings--failed standard UL safety tests.

Of particular concern was a white extension cord, manufactured with thin telephone wire and a brittle, easily broken plastic coating, which likely retailed for a few dollars but cost far less to produce. When tested by UL, the extension cord melted and caught fire within a few minutes. The seized outlet strips were also found to have undersized wiring and no surge suppression. They were further found to have reverse polarity wiring, which is a shock hazard, and a plastic casing that ignited immediately upon testing since it was not made of fire-resistant material.

While only a very small percentage of products and/or packaging may be found to bear a counterfeit UL mark, such products have not undergone UL's testing and certification process and thus could pose significant safety risks to consumers.

Counterfeit products are typically high-volume, low-cost items such as extension cords and power strips, primarily manufactured in Asia and sold through discount retailers and unconventional outlets such as flea markets.

"We appreciate the responsiveness and hard work of the RCMP in helping to bring about these successful prosecutions, which reinforce UL's zero-tolerance policy toward counterfeiting as we aggressively defend the integrity of UL certification marks worldwide," said Brian Monks, Vice President of Anti-Counterfeiting Operations.

In addition to posing a threat to public safety and the individual consumers who purchase them, counterfeit products defraud retailers who are selling legitimate products and undermines public confidence in the safety certification process. Counterfeiting is estimated to account for five to seven percent of global trade, or about USD$500 billion each year. Internationally, Interpol has indicated that organized crime and terrorist groups are now involved in the trade of counterfeit products, with profits from these sales financing other areas of criminal and terrorist activities.

In addition to the RCMP, UL works with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and provincial safety authorities across Canada. UL also works with U.S. Customs, the FBI, state and local authorities, the World Customs Organization (WCO), Interpol, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the International Trademark Association (INTA), and the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC).

Source: Underwriter's Laboratories

Counterfeit Goods Impact California Economy More than Anywhere

Broken ThumbDrive
Originally uploaded by General Wesc

"Shoppers know a bargain when they see them, and many times they know that what they're buying are counterfeit rip-offs. Counterfeiting of all sorts of products is a major business that has an adverse effect on L.A.'s economy. But now, officials are promising to do something about it."

Read the whole story by John North on ABC News

news roundup, ed. 7

Jarabe
Originally uploaded by checoo

Drug Website Safety Fears Raised (BBC News)

Counterfeit Diabetes Test Strips Tracked by J&J (Bloomberg)

Soft Sentence in Federal Counterfeit Luxury Goods Prosecution (Counterfeit Blog)

Nintendo raid in Mexico nets 15,000 items; brings worldwide total to 100k (GamerNode)

Life Term for Making, Selling Fake Meds (India Times)

Nigeria Issues Toothpaste Ban (VOA)

Online Shoppers Beware: Is it Counterfeit? (WRAL)

Stations Must Not Air Fake Meds Ads (Inquirer.net)

news roundup, ed. 6

Hi everyone,

The site has seen some major changes lately, but it's back to the blogs! Here's an extensive news roundup for the past two weeks.

Rallies to protest fake medicine racket (The Statesman)
Chinese making Fake Eggs! (Chinaview)
Former DMV Employee Faces Federal Charges for Fake Licenses (WRAL News)
NYC Raid Yields Counterfeit Cigarettes (Forbes)
Authentic or Counterfeit? It Should Have a Guarantee (Charm Handbag Blog)
Senate Joins Knockoff Battle (NYT)
Taking counterfeiting too far (Market Watch)
How dangerous are counterfeits? (Bold Investors)
Under the Hood Special Report: Counterfeit Parts
More Counterfeit Harry (Intangible Economy)
IBM's Tonic For Drug-Tracking Blues (Wireless)

news roundup ed. 5

China: A Haven for Fake Goods (Korean Daily News)
China Continues Steps Towards Drug Safety Reform (Drug Researcher)
FDA Chief Vows to Boost Food Inspection (Washington Times)
Coca Cola’s Antique Ad
Kenneth Walton Reads from Fake, Admits Selling Phony Paintings (Writer’s Block)
Forever 21 Messes with the Wrong Harajuku Girl

Photos: Flickr's x-eyedblonde

news roundup ed. 4

$500 Million Pirate Ring Busted (Time)
China Busts Gangs that Sold Fake Tamiflu, Viagra on the Internet (The Star)
The Growing Dangers of China Trade (Time)
2010 Soccer Championships & the Counterfeit Risks (IOL)

Photo: Thorsten Trotzenberg

the tech files ed. 2

Would You Buy a Fake iPod Shuffle? Vote Now!

Curbing counterfeit Auto Parts (Fleet Equipment Mag)

How to Spot a Fake Auto Part (The Auto Writer)

Another Bad iPhone Knockoff (Appletell)

X-Game 360 and PowerStation 3 Could be Strangest Knockoffs Ever (Tech Blog)

Photo: Flickr's Christos_M2001

news roundup ed. 3

It’s official. Even Crane’s are Counterfeit. (Contract Journal)
Combating Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals from China (Science Daily)
Manolo, Pretty but Pricey (Zappos Blog)

Photo: Flickr's ChixSki (CC)

the tech files ed. 1

New Hologram Combats Fakes (JCN)
Black iPod Shuffle Knockoff (engadget)
China Car Makers Strike Again (engadget)
The Inside of Fake Electronics (engadget)

Photo: JC Medina

toxic toothpaste scare

In America, Colgate copies contain
antifreeze ingredient

UK, Sensodyne toothpaste

Canada, Toothpaste with E. Coli, antifreeze ingredient

Colgate Hunts Fake, Possibly Toxic Toothpaste (The Toronto Star)

Photo: Wen Yan King

battery meltdown

Phone Battery Problems Hit China (NY Times News Service)
Battery Issues Hit Cell Giants (Chicago Tribune)
Chinese Regulators Find Mobile Phone Batteries that Can Explode (NY Times)
Strange Case of the Exploding AAA's (IT Manager Focus)
Chinese Mobile Phone Manufacturers Fighting Counterfeits (China Tech News)

Photo: Flickr's Awnisalan (CC)

news roundup ed. 2

Samsung Responds to Counterfeit Cartridge Issue (Eye on Korea)
Counterfeit Flashlight Batteries Recalled Due to Fire Hazard (engadget)
Trick Kicks (NewCity Chicago)
Fakes Increase (Sun Sentinel)
China’s Cheap Goods Have High Cost (Baltimore Sun)
When Fakery Turns Fatal (NY Times)
Reduce Risk When Buying on eBay (Morning Call)
Combating Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals from China (Science Daily)

Photo: Flickr's DVFlick (CC)

news roundup ed. 1

Chinese say watercoolers contain tap (China Daily)
Sometimes, you get what you pay for (AP)
The Dangers of Internet Drugs (Forbes)
Fake Viagra and your health (Arabian Business)
More lead poison toys from China recalled (World Net Daily)
Phony wine on the rise (AP)
Knockoffs cause US layoffs (VOA)

Photo: Flickr's HermanTurnip (CC)

makeup your mind

There are many times when buying cheap perfume or cosmetics seems like a good idea.
--Your sister needs wacky colors for a dance recital, and no one wants to spend a lot on eyeshadow that will be worn once.
--It’s your dad’s birthday, and you’re cash-strapped, so you buy the “inspired-by” version of his favorite cologne.

Like medicine, poorly made or toxic cosmetics can make us seriously sick. The list of reactions to such products is endless: allergies, skin cancer, breathing problems, lead poisoning and blindness. Not such a pretty picture after all.


Cosmetics News:
How to Spot Fake Makeup (BellaSugar)
Counterfeit Perfume, Urine (BBC)
The Makeup Girl: You’re a Fake Baby

Photo: Ciaran Archer

the truth about phony meds

Counterfeit Pills Killed B.C. Woman: Coroner (Canada.com)
How Drug Fraud Killed the Corrupt Reformer (The Scotsman)
Internet Drug Death a Warning to Canadians (Medical News Today)
Counterfeit Blood Products? (Bloomberg)
A Toxic Pipeline: From China to Panama, A Trail of Poisoned Medicine (NY Times)
A Toxic Pipeline, p. 2 (NY Times)
Fake Liver Pills Dangerous (ABC)
China Steps Up Its Safety Efforts (NY Times)

Photo: Elle Chyun

pet food

1. FDA Chief Vows to Boost Food (Washington Times)
2. After Contamination, Owners Change Pet Diet (The Press Enterprise)