Counterfeiting Is IP Theft That Is Steadily Growing

Counterfeiting is intellectual property theft that continues to proliferate our lives. An alarming flow of counterfeit merchandise is flooding the US marketplace, with sales reaching over $1.82 trillion in 2020. The sale and scale of counterfeits are growing at a feverish rate of 15 percent each year. Efforts by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)-Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) successfully seized 26,503 shipments containing goods that violated Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in 2020.

Brand abuse has become a universal threat with the accelerated adoption of digital channels. Bad actors take advantage of consumers who trustingly rely on the internet to buy their necessities. The internet has created incomparable opportunities for reputable businesses to grow and reach consumers all over the world. Still, it has also provided a unique global platform for counterfeiters to expand their operations with little to no repercussions. The internet has become a significant enabler in selling online counterfeit products, providing criminals with access to a global market. As counterfeiting continues to evolve, so does the need to be progressive in protection.
There are actions you can take in protecting your product from global counterfeiting:
  • register your brand, logo, and trademarks in countries where you sell, manufacture, ship , or store your products;
  • record your trademarks with national customs organizations where possible;
  • monitor and control your company’s supply chain;
  • add authentication details to your genuine products that a counterfeiter would not discoverbe aware of;
  • set up a corporate brand protection program and train employees on anti-counterfeiting measures;
  • monitor what brick-and-mortar and online stores are selling your products;
  • take legal action in civil court against counterfeiters; and
  • provide training for local law enforcement personnel, such as customs officials, on your company’s brand and products so that they can identify and seize counterfeits that that are passing through customs.

Protecting your intellectual property IP is a continuous effort. Ference & Associates is a global leader in online brand protection and anti-counterfeiting. The Ference team partners with individuals, businesses, and corporations to develop and enforce strategic IP protection plans to prevent IP theft and counterfeiting. Contact us today at 412-741-8400.