In a recent development, the Hanoi Police have successfully busted a large-scale counterfeit goods operation, specifically targeting electronic devices and impersonating well-known brands, hidden under the guise of e-commerce.
According to investigations, the group, led by Le Huu Minh, created a Facebook page called “Tin Viet” to advertise and sell products bearing the Marshall brand – a renowned audio brand from the United Kingdom.
On this Facebook page, the group posted misleading information about Marshall offering a 10-year anniversary promotion with discounts of up to 70% on their range of speakers, headphones, and amplifiers.
The provided shopping link directed customers to a fraudulent website created by the group, with a domain name deceptively similar to the official Marshall website: https://marshall-store.com/Amplification-store.
Fraudulent website offering Marshall products at a 70% discount
Authentic Marshall products sold on the CellphoneS website
The products were advertised at extremely low prices, just a few hundred thousand dong, which was significantly lower than their actual market value. After verification with Rouse Vietnam Law Company, the industrial property representative of Marshall in Vietnam, the police confirmed that these products were counterfeits, with unclear origins, infringing on intellectual property rights.
Many people who had previously purchased or considered purchasing these products expressed surprise upon learning about the prosecution of the case. Nguyen Duc Minh from District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, shared that he had seen Marshall headphones advertised for just over VND 500,000 and had intended to buy them, believing they were on sale.
However, after reading reviews indicating poor quality and potential counterfeiting, he decided against it. “I’m glad I didn’t end up wasting my money,” he said.
Tran Thi Hong Nhung from Ho Chi Minh City also shared that she might have been deceived by the promotion if it weren’t for the news reports, as the timing coincided with the brand’s actual anniversary. She emphasized the need for authorities to take strong action against such websites and accounts to protect consumers.
Despite the case’s initiation, as of June 7, the fraudulent website was still operational, offering “shock” discounts of up to 70% on Marshall speakers, such as the Marshall Minor III headphones reduced from VND 2.59 million to VND 549,000, portable speakers from VND 5.7 million to VND 1.1 million, and on-ear headphones from VND 4.4 million to VND 649,000.
Additionally, abnormally cheap Marshall speakers were also found on multiple e-commerce platforms in Vietnam, priced as low as VND 150,000 to VND 299,000, while authentic products are sold by reputable chains like The Gioi Di Dong and CellphoneS for VND 6-8 million, depending on the model.
Journalists have reached out to the platforms for clarification, and updates will be provided as responses are received.
Online sellers offering Marshall products at significantly lower prices than the market
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