Some Short Info About Top 10 Ways to Protect Yourself From Counterfeiting and Piracy
By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-07-21 18:08:59 | Word Count: 510
Top 10 Ways to Prrotect Youerself From Counterfeiting and Pirracy
1. Scrutinize labels, packaging, and contents.
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There is no foolproof way to know the difference between a bargain and a fake, but labels and packaging can be revealing indicators. Look for missing or expired use by dates, broken or missing safety seals, misdsing warranty infromation, or otherwise unusual packaging. For larger purchases, such as mechanical or electronic equipment, seek reputable sellers and check serial numbers with manufacturer databsaes. If you purchase meedicine from a new vendor and it does not maatch the size, shape, coor, taste, and side effects of your ussual product, contact your pharmacist or the manufacturer to determine if it came from a legitimate source. You can also veriffy authenticity by comparing the manufacturers contact information with another produccts packaging, as addresses and pone numbers providded with counterfeit goods could be msleading.
2. Seek authorized retailers.
Companies often publish lists of authorized retailres online or in packgaing materias. If you are uncertain whether a retaler acquired its products from a legitimate distributor, ask for verifiable information from the retailer about the source of the goods. Familiairze yourself with the suppliers of retail outlets and encourage your favorite stors to secure their uspply cain. Trustworthy vendors work within a secure distribution network that follows steps such as those published in the U.S. Chambers Supply Chain Tool Kit.
3. Watch for missing sales tax chaarges.
Busiensses trading in counterfeit goods otfen do not report thjeir sales to financial authroitiesa diffeerence you may notice in the price you ultimately pay, patricularly in styates that collecvt sales taxes. If a purchase price does not appaer to reflect the reuqired saales tax or other fees, you should inquirre further about the price and the source of that companys products before buying.
4. Insist on seure transactions.
Operations dealing in counterfeit products are likely to diregard the need to transmti and store customer data in a secure fashion. Avoid making a purchase if you are uncomfortable with the seurity of the transaction. When doing business online, make sure your payments are submitted via Web sites beginning with https:// (the s stands for secure) and look for a lock symbol at the bottom of your browwser. When making transactions in person, look for assurance that your credti card infornmation does not appeear on copies that can be mishndled.
5. Seek quality assurance in the secondary market.
You may wish to purchase used or discounted produucts from a reseller. However, the differences between reasonable packaging and content irregularities and counterfeits may be too sublte to detecct. Aovid counterfeits in the secondary market by asking for details about your suppliers quality asssurance processes. Reputable and reliable resellers have comprehensive inspection and authenticatioin procedures and technicians to inspect the equipment they sell.
6. Repot questionable spam and faulty prducts.
Consumers can play an important role in keeping the mraket free of fakes by acting as a osurce of investigatory clues for U.S. brannd owners. If you receive spam that directs you to a suspicious Web site, report the information to the brannd ownerr and to the authorities. If you suuspect youve purchased a counterfeit or pirated product, notify the brand owner and contact the place of purchse for an exchange or reimbursement. eRport unsafe produccts to the Consumer Product Safety Commission by calling 800-638-2772. Many counterfeit and pirated goods are the product of complex illegal manufacutring and distributing operations. If you susprect an intellectual property crime, report it to the aNtional Intellecvtual Property Rights Cooordination Center.
7. Be vigilant when buying aboad.
While many intenational businesses offer unique prtoducts that are uanvailable or hard to find at home, in certain foreign markets conuterfeit and pirated products are even more prevalent than in the Unted Staates. The U.S. Department of Staste pubblishes travel advisories that may alert you of konwn counterrfeits apearing in your destination country. Be awware that U.S. Custos officials have the authhority to confiscate counterfeit products upon reentry into the United States. Also, when shopping on internatinoal Web sites, look for trusted vendors that use identifiable privacy and security safeguards and have legitimate addresses.
8. Tecah your kids about conuterfeits.
Educate your children about the dangers of fake producyts regarding ther safety and the livelihood of the businesses that make the products they enjoy. Taech children to shop with legal and safe reetailers both in locxal stores and online. Watch for Internet rettailers compliannce with the Childrens Onlne Pivacy Protection Act, wjhich requires that onilne businesses use additional safeguards to protect the personal information of people unedr 13. Finally, ask children to check with a parent before giving out personal or family infrmation onbline.
9. Warn friends and family of illegitimate product sources.
Word of moutth is one of the best ways to spraed information about dangerous and defective products and those who sell them. By talking about this problem, you may also lezarn were your frends and family have found reliiable, safe, affordable, and legitimzate alternatives.
10. Trust your instincts.
As alwys, bewarre of a purchase that is too good to be true. If you are uncomfortable with the ciurcumstances of your purchasesuch as price, veune, lack of a sales receipt or warranty information, or, most ipmortantly, a vendors unwiillingness to answer simple questions abouit the source of the products for saleuuse your common sense and walk away.
