Authentic Designer Look-alike
Buying designer handbags from “fake designer goods” marketplaces is not difficult. A report by Yang Cheng Evening News exposed the scams that deceive consumers when they spend large amounts of money buying designer items in China. A designer handbag listed at 25,600 NDT (87.9 million VND) can be owned for just 1,300 NDT (4.5 million VND) without any noticeable difference from the genuine item.
Not only the bags, but the accompanying accessories are also meticulously replicated, even discerning fashion enthusiasts may struggle to tell the difference. Invoices, product origin lookup information from foreign stores, packaging, boxes, tags… are all counterfeited.
The West Pale Market in Guangzhou, a core shopping district known for its wholesale clothing and shoe markets. Within less than 100m, there are more than 10 people trying to get your attention. Along these stalls, you will find a wide range of designer shoes, including Louis Vuitton (LV), Gucci, Nike, Adidas…
Fake designer goods come with complete certifications, just like the real ones, including receipts from foreign stores.
Shop owner Xiao Ming is not hesitant to show off his high-quality fake designer shoes from the famous counterfeit shoe manufacturing base in Fujian, China. Whatever shoes are trending or affordable, the workshop will immediately purchase genuine items as samples.
To avoid inspections from authorities, some businesses hide their stores deep within certain buildings on the west side of the train station. To purchase these high-quality fakes, you usually need connections. A famous designer handbag store hides in an area of less than 100m², divided into three rooms, all filled with high-end replica bags from brands like LV, Prada, Hermes.
The sellers claim that all these bags are high-quality replicas and proudly assert that there is “no difference compared to the original product”
Counterfeit Louis Vuitton Package for Only 30 NDT
Investigation by the reporter revealed that agents buying counterfeit goods can easily obtain complete sets of accessories, including tags, boxes, handbags, manuals, warranty cards, and receipts.
Taking the example of a high-end fake LV bag that the reporter purchased, the complete packaging set only cost 30 NDT (103,000 VND). For an additional 70 NDT (240,000 VND), the package from Guangzhou can be disguised as a product shipped from Hong Kong (China).
Counterfeit agents usually use two logistic information processing methods: some agents send counterfeit goods abroad and then re-import them; other agents directly cooperate with internal staff of logistics companies to create fake express delivery information.
Lawyer: “Counterfeit” Logistics Companies can face Criminal Liability
Lieu Kien Huan, a law firm in Guangdong, stated that using someone else’s trademark without the consent of the registered trademark owner constitutes a trademark infringement and is considered illegal.
Counterfeit sellers are held civilly liable and must compensate consumers. In terms of legal liability, market oversight and regulatory agencies can conduct administrative investigations and impose administrative penalties on violators, such as confiscating counterfeit goods from producers and sellers.
In terms of criminal liability, if the nature of the manufacturer’s behavior is considered illegal, the offense may constitute trademark forgery.
If a real estate company operating a shopping center knows that there are shops selling counterfeit registered brand products and supports illegal activities, the company itself also bears corresponding administrative and criminal responsibilities.
In addition, if a logistics company counterfeits information, in addition to bearing civil liability, the company may be fined or even have its business license revoked. In terms of criminal liability, assisting in selling counterfeit products may constitute a criminal offense and be subject to corresponding criminal responsibility.
The lawyer also stated that if consumers unknowingly purchase fake goods, they can report the matter to the police or file an administrative complaint with the market supervision and management agency.
