DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Roche alleges counterfeit diabetes medical devices were sold on Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Scott Zamost | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Roche Diabetes Care Inc. Accu-Chek brand glucose test strips are arranged for a photograph in the Brooklyn borough of New York, U.S., on Thursday, April 4, 2019. Roche , one of the world's largest biotech companies, said "dangerous counterfeits" of its diabetes medical devices ended up for sale on Amazon to be bought by patients throughout the United States. "Patients know that Roche's Accu-Chek medical devices are safe, sterile and accurate," the complaint said. After the suit was filed, a judge granted Roche's request for a temporary restraining order to stop the defendants from selling the counterfeit products. The complaint was filed on behalf of Roche Diabetes Care Inc., Roche Diabetes Care GmbH and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc, by attorneys with the New York-based law firm Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler.

Persons: Roche, Patterson Belknap Webb, Tyler, Dileep Kumar Yadav, Abhishek Jain, Ratnakar Sharma, Atikur Rahman Organizations: Roche Diabetes Care Inc, Amazon, CNBC, Roche Diabetes Care GmbH, Hoffmann, Roche Inc, New, JMD Enterprises, JMD, JMD International Locations: Brooklyn, New York, U.S, United States, India, New York City

☆ 13 signs your Hermès bag is a fake, from a luxury reseller who's trained to spot counterfeits
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Alexis Clarbour has been buying and selling Hermès bags for a decade and knows how to spot a fake. I took an operations role at an e-commerce marketplace called Portero, where my passion for luxury handbags, specifically Hermès bags, began. Under a loupe, the engraving may look chiseled and not as smooth as a genuine Hermès bag. Serial codeEvery Hermès bag has a serial code inside the bag. There are no deals — if someone offers a new Hermès bag below market in the secondary market, I'd recommend staying away.

Persons: Alexis Clarbour, authenticating, It's, Chanel, reselling, Hermès, —, we've, Kelly, Birkin, they've, it's, sloppily, there's, Le Duc, Price, I'd Organizations: Madison Avenue Couture, Nasdaq, MAC, Madison Avenue, Madison Locations: New York City, Hermès

☆ Is that $35 Apple Watch real? How misleading TikTok influencer videos could be the next big headache in e-commerce
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Tyler linked his post to a $34.88 smartwatch available on TikTok Shop from a merchant called MoonMates, which did not represent the item as Apple-made. Because the video featured a TikTok Shop tag, Tyler was likely eligible for a commission on any watch sales his video generated. Others may do it unintentionally because they're not entirely sure whether a steeply discounted TikTok Shop product is authentic. If false video reviews proliferate across TikTok Shop, it could pose an existential risk for the nascent e-commerce platform. TikTok user Vincent Patritto went viral in September after promoting a pair of Crocs that were available on TikTok Shop.

Persons: Austin Tyler, Tyler, TikTok, they're, Brett Hollenbeck, Hollenbeck, it's, Vincent Patritto, they've, Patritto, Lululemon Athletica, Influencers, aren't Organizations: Apple, Apple Watch, Shop, UCLA's Anderson School of Management, New, Prime, YouTube, Expedia, UCLA

REUTERS/George Frey Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Several people were hospitalised in Austria after using suspected fake versions of the diabetes drug Ozempic, the country's health safety body said, the first report of harm to users in a widening European hunt for counterfeiters. Regional regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), last week warned about pre-filled injection pens falsely labelled as Ozempic, which has seen surging demand for its weight-loss benefits. The maker of the drug, Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), has flagged a surge in online offers of fake versions of Ozempic as well as its weight-loss drug Wegovy, both based on semaglutide. The BASG did not provide an exact number of people harmed by the fake Ozempic, or say how long-lasting the adverse effects would be on their health. That person likely did not procure the fakes from an official pharmacy, it said, warning that fake injection pens may still be in circulation.

Persons: George Frey, Ozempic, BASG, Wegovy, Miranda Murray, Ludwig Burger, Alexandra Schwarz, Angus MacSwan, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, REUTERS, Rights, European Medicines Agency, EMA, Thomson Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S, Austria, Danish, Germany, Britain, British, Berlin, Frankfurt, Vienna

Homeland Security, as well as companies that help identify counterfeit products such as Israel’s BrandShield. Fake weight-loss drugs will be a key focus in the agency’s annual counterfeit medicines report, due next year, the official said. “We have counterfeit products and stolen products,” the official said. "We will look online and if we find something that infringes (obesity drug trademarks) we'll get it taken down,” said Yoav Keren, BrandShield CEO. When a consumer buys those fakes, “what you get are expired drugs, counterfeit drugs, or nothing,” he added.

Persons: George Frey, Eli Lilly, BrandShield, Novo’s Ozempic, ”, Jim Mancuso, Mancuso, Europol, Novo, Lilly, “, Ozempic, Yoav Keren, MHRA, Eli, Mounjaro, Patrick Wingrove, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, REUTERS, Novo Nordisk’s, Pharmaceutical Security Institute, drugmakers Novo Nordisk, Europol, Interpol, U.S . Homeland Security, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, U.S . Department of Homeland, Coordination Center, PSI, Medicines, Healthcare, Agency, Health Organization, Ireland’s, Products Regulatory Authority, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S, America, Europe, Germany, Egypt, Russia, North America

☆ Fashion brands want you to be able to identify fake designer merchandise
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

‘It’s almost seen as a hack’These tactics are all part of the industry’s hope to neutralize the booming counterfeit market, with some estimates asserting that fake fashion and luxury items account for 60% or more of the multi-trillion-dollar trade in fake goods. Sympathy for brands “can be hard for consumers in general, particularly those who are deeply steeped in TikTok culture,” Scafidi said. According to Business of Fashion, the average price for a women’s designer handbag in the US spiked 27% from 2019 to 2022. Last year saw record-breaking profits for the luxury sector, with around 95% of brands seeing growth, according to an estimate by consulting firm Bain & Company. “Right now, vintage is on trend, and we actually see new replicas of vintage items — items that were made in the ’80s or ’90s,” Thompson said.

Persons: Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Birkin, Miu Miu, Chanel, ”, Simon Lock, LVMH, Maison, OTB, ‘ It’s, dupes, Counterfeiters, Sarah Davis, “ it’s, what’s, Susan Scafidi, “, Leah Abucayan, ” Scafidi, Fashionphile, Davis, Hunter Thompson, “ It’s, ” Thompson, ” Davis, Scafidi, Romain Carrere, “ We’re, ” Carrere, it’s Organizations: CNN, luxe, Ordre Group, Burberry, Prada Group, Dior, Prada, YouTube, Social, Fashion Law, Business of Fashion, Bain & Company, Technology, Blockchain Locations: Fashionphile, Europe, —

☆ How knockoffs took over America
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But these fake products have major financial and societal impacts that can lead to lost sales, jobs, and livelihoods. US Customs and Border Protection officers inspect boxes of counterfeit products at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport complex. Edward Berthelot/GettyWhy sales of counterfeit goods have soaredE-commerce has been a breeding ground for knockoffs. AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to the US Sentencing Commission , the maximum sentence for selling counterfeit goods is 10 years in prison. In 2020, Amazon established its Counterfeit Crimes Unit, which works with brands to identify and remove counterfeit products.

Persons: Daniel Shapiro's, Hugo Boss, counterfeiters, Spencer Platt, Getty, Shapiro, Jason Armond, Gabrielle Chanel, Michael Kors, Gucci, Chanel, Zers, Edward Berthelot, Superfakes, They've, Wang Zhao, I'm, counterfeits, It's Organizations: Service, Red, Puma, Fila, eBay, US Department of Homeland Security, International Chamber of Commerce, Frontier Economics, Customs, Border Protection, Los, United States Intellectual, United Nations Office, Drugs, UN, Seaport, Economic Cooperation, Development, US Chamber of Commerce, US Customs, Protection, US, Commission, Nike, Amazon Locations: Wall, Silicon, Manhattan, Los Angeles, Long, Beijing, Europe, China

☆ Parmigiano-Reggiano makers are putting edible microchips the size of a grain of sand into their 90-pound cheese wheels to combat counterfeiters
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano in Italy are adding microchips to their cheese wheels. That's because makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano are implanting microchips into the casings of their 90-pound cheese wheels as the latest move to ward off counterfeiters, The Wall Street Journal reported. That's because it's the original parmesan cheese officially protected by the European Union, meaning the name can only be used for the authentic product. They are being placed on the casein label, a food-safe label commonly used in cheese production, which is placed on the cheese wheel. Other industries are also considering or planning to use the chips, including makers of drugs and car parts.

Persons: they've, Alberto Pecorari Organizations: Service, Street Journal, European Union, The Locations: Reggiano, Italy, Wall, Silicon, counterfeiters, Italy's Emilia Romagna, Champagne, France, Feta, Greece

☆ Fake goods are everywhere online, experts say. Here's how to spot them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Mary Hanbury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

New technology and the rise of online shopping has made it easier for scammers to sell fakes. These are the top tips to avoid buying a fake online. The rise of online shopping, particularly during the pandemic, fueled the market for counterfeit products. Here are six tips from experts on what to watch out for when you're shopping online:1. If you see any of these warning signs, the product very well could be fake," the IACC warns online.

Persons: Joe Simone, DK Lee, Jen Hanks, Lee, It's, Ben T, Smith IV, Kearney, Simone, Bob Barchiesi, Insider's Hillary Hoffower, Smith, it's Organizations: Service, Economic Co, Trade, eBay, Walmart, American Apparel & Footwear Association, Amazon, International Anticounterfeiting Coalition Locations: Wall, Silicon, Hong Kong

☆ Amazon employees leak secret info that marketplace sellers can buy on Telegram
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

For a fee of $200 to $400, sellers can pay for services like "Amazon Magic," as one broker on encrypted messaging service Telegram calls it. The Telegram group has over 13,000 members, and it's far from the only one. A public Facebook page identified by CNBC offers an internal screenshot service with "valuable insight into your seller account, allowing you to see how Amazon employees view your account and its performance." Account annotations, internal notes from an Amazon staffer on a seller's account, were among the confidential data being exchanged between the defendants and employees. The Amazon Magic group on Telegram is public, with users advertising black hat services almost daily.

Persons: Johnny Milano, Christy Distefano, Remi Vaughn Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Telegram, Facebook Groups, Walmart, CNBC, Facebook, Amazon ., LinkedIn, Amazon, Street Journal, Department of Justice, FBI Locations: Melville , New York, China, India, Costa Rica, Ukraine

☆ How Benjamin Franklin Helped Foil Early American Money Counterfeiters
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Jo Craven Mcginty | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-benjamin-franklin-helped-foil-early-american-money-counterfeiters-bf51f8c7

Persons: Dow Jones, franklin

☆ What Benjamin Franklin Learned While Fighting Counterfeiters
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Veronique Greenwood | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Benjamin Franklin moved to Philadelphia in 1723, he got to witness the beginning of a risky new experiment: Pennsylvania had just begun printing words on paper and calling it money. The first American paper money had hit the market in 1690. Franklin, who started his career as a printer, was an inveterate inventor who would also create the lightning rod and bifocals, found paper money fascinating. During his printing career, Franklin produced a stream of baroque, often beautiful money. He created a copper plate of a sage leaf to print on money to foil counterfeiters: The intricate pattern of veins could not easily be imitated.

Persons: Benjamin Franklin, Franklin Locations: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, England

MediaNews Group | The Riverside Press-Enterprise via Getty ImagesOf the many acts that can get an Amazon merchant kicked off the site, few are as devastating as selling stolen goods. But suspended sellers, who spent years building their businesses on Amazon, told CNBC they had no idea they were selling stolen products. In an email to CNBC, Amazon said it's working with authorities and doesn't comment "on matters that are the subject of active law enforcement investigations." Tracing the stolen goods supply chainIn tracing the supply chain for suspended sellers, some patterns started to emerge. "Chances are stolen goods or similar ASINs/serial numbers are being bled in to every supply line," the employee wrote.

Persons: Levoit humidifiers, Frank —, Frank, Kenzo Sobrie, Dyson, blenders, they'd, Joe Quinlivan, Sellers, they've, Chris McCabe, Ricky Sala, what's, Sala, he'd, Tien Ngo, Ngo, Stride, Daniel Acker, ASINs, Armen Babayan, illicitly, Babayan, KZ, Juniper, couldn't, Cameron Webb, Kevin Cole, didn't, He's, Sobrie Organizations: MediaNews, Riverside Press, Enterprise, Getty, Amazon, CNBC, Retailers, LG, KZ International, California, Patrol, KZ, CHP, Amazon.com Inc, Amazon Robotics, Bloomberg, Oregon Prep Center, Facebook, FBI, Washington State Office, Ngo Wholesale Distributors, Ngo, Co, Wholesale, Los, Juniper Holdings, Telegram Locations: Eastvale , California, KZ's, Huntington Beach , California, Westborough , Massachusetts, Los Angeles, Miami, The Miami, New York, Washington, Santa Fe Springs, Los Angeles County, Garden Grove, Orange County, California, Huntington Beach, California , Florida, New Jersey

Guardia Civil/Handout via REUTERSMADRID, June 1 (Reuters) - Spanish police raided three clandestine tobacco factories early this year, seizing nearly 40 million euros ($44 million) worth of tobacco leaf and illicit cigarettes. This operation is one of dozens across the EU that regional policing and anti-fraud agencies say have driven seizures of illicit cigarettes to record levels. It may have been further accelerated by the war in Ukraine, which for years has been a production hub and transit route for illicit tobacco, OLAF added. TOBACCO INVESTIGATORSThe industry has responded by hiring investigators to research illicit operations and share intelligence with European authorities, executives at Japan Tobacco, BAT and Imperial Brands told Reuters. "A good many workers from Ukraine have been found in these illegal factories," Japan Tobacco's Byrne said about counterfeiting operations across the EU.

Persons: who'd, OLAF, Cyrille Olive, Philip Morris, Olive, Europol, Vincent Byrne, Byrne, Japan Tobacco's Winston, Alex McDonald, Ernesto Bianchi, McDonald, Japan Tobacco's Byrne, They're, they're, Richa Naidu, Emma Pinedo, Emilio Parodi, Matt Scuffham Organizations: Guardia Civil, REUTERS, Spanish, EU, BAT, Imperial Brands, Japan Tobacco, Philip Morris International, Reuters, Marlboro, America's Dunhill, Supplies, Investigators, Mobile, Thomson Locations: Seville, Spain, Guardia, REUTERS MADRID, Alfaro, Europe, Ukraine, British American, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Ireland, Japan, China, Asia, EU, Russia, Belarus, Roda de Ter, Barcelona, Spanish, Italy, Pomezia, Russian, Moldovan, London, Madrid, Milan

☆ Bored Ape NFT creators win case against copycat artist
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Elle Reeve | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Crypto company Yuga Labs has won its claims of trademark infringement against artist Ryder Ripps who copied their NFTs in what he called a protest of their racially offensive imagery. Ripps told CNN he would appeal. But critics commented on social media that some of the Bored Apes contained what looked like references to posts on the website 4chan, which has become a hub of extremism, and pointed out that apes are an old trope in racist imagery. “Once the court adopted the plaintiff’s framing of the case, it was clear what was going to happen: the plaintiff wins everything basically,” he said. “There was an underlying really important point that the defendants are trying to make about the possibility that there was some kind of Nazi glorification in the overall collection NFT collection for the Bored Ape Yacht Club,” Goldman said.

☆ Amazon launches program to identify and track counterfeiters
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Online marketplaces in the United States including Amazon face hurdles in keeping counterfeiters off their platforms and fake merchandise from entering their warehouses. The new program mimics data exchange programs by the credit card industry to find scammers and identify their tactics. Stores and Amazon marketplace sellers can anonymously contribute information and records flagging counterfeiters to a third-party database or use the database to avoid doing business with the bad actors. The Seattle-based retail giant piloted the anti-counterfeiting initiative in 2021 with an undisclosed number of apparel, home goods and cosmetics stores, where counterfeiting is most common. Reporting by Arriana McLymore in New York City; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nike is doubling down on litigation in a fierce battle to protect its patents and trademarks. Here's every brand it has sued in recent years.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Matthew Kish | Danni Santana | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Nike's also suing companies that sell sneakers that resemble Dunks, Jordans, and Air Force 1s. In recent months, Nike's presence in courtrooms has become more visible, with headline-grabbing lawsuits against Lululemon, Bape, StockX, Warren Lotas, Kool Kiy, and others. Several of the lawsuits now before a judge relate to Nike's enforcement of those patents, including interactive fitness technology. While trademarks protect words and phrases like "Nike" and "Just do it," trade dress protects silhouettes and appearances, like the outline of a Coca-Cola bottle or the shape of an iPhone. The company has another four applications pending,Here's a rundown of some of the company's most recent lawsuits, starting with the most recent.

☆ How China planted an FBI mole who was discovered only after gutting the CIA's vast spy network
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( James Bamford | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

At the time, four years after the handover from Britain to China, much of Hong Kong remained a world of neon and noise. "Five years ago, everyone looked down on you if you spoke Mandarin," said a Beijing executive living in Hong Kong. As soon as the Hong Kong Arts Festival ended, the Hong Kong International Film Festival began. In February 2006, Alex Ma, China's mole in the FBI, sent David photos he received from his handlers of five suspected human sources. Born in Hong Kong like Alex, Lee grew up in Hawaii and became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

☆ I’ve been following a woman around the internet. Turns out she was created by artificial intelligence.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Evan Ratliff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

Even in their first efforts, the GAN images were quickly on par with those made by any other, less intelligent software. You can find the results on the Generated Photos site, where you can filter by ethnicity, age, sex, eye color, and other attributes. Generated Photos' GANs tend to match conventional beauty standards, a product of the models that have been fed to the software. I'm not sure anyone would be surprised to find fake images accompanying testimonials on an Estonian bitcoin exchange or an online CBD seller. Are they real people deploying fake images, or fake people deploying fake images?

Sept 28 (Reuters) - A federal judge in New York has frozen the assets of dozens of people and entities accused of operating a massive nationwide scheme to distribute counterfeit bottles of Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD.O) HIV drugs, including two alleged "kingpins." HIV drugs accounted for $7.6 billion of Gilead's $12.6 billion revenue in the first half of the year. read moreThe newly added defendants include alleged "kingpins" Lazaro Roberto Hernandez, who was arrested on drug counterfeiting and money laundering charges in June as part of a related federal investigation and remains under house arrest, and Armando Herrera, who lives in Florida. The Foster City, California-based company first announced it was pursuing counterfeiters in August 2021, shortly after filing its lawsuit. read moreIn addition to the alleged kingpins, the case now includes alleged mid-level leaders and a complex web of shell companies, distributors and pharmacies.

☆ A 'dystopian horror story.' Inside the thriving underground market for used Amazon seller accounts that's causing chaos, identity theft, and distrust in the company's massive online marketplace
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Rob Price | Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

On Telegram and forums like Swapd and PlayerUp, a gray market for secondhand Amazon seller accounts thrives. On public Telegram groups, Amazon account sellers openly advertise their goods and how they've passed Amazon's verification checks. She'd never had an Amazon seller account and sold jewelry directly through her website. Amazon is asleep at the wheel"Amazon is asleep at the wheel," Jason Boyce, a consultant for Amazon sellers, said. AI engineer François Chollet has been plagued by counterfeiters selling fake copies of his books via Amazon accounts with stolen identities.

Search resuls for: "Counterfeiters"

21 mentions found