What are the legal implications of carrying (not buying) a fake bag?
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Wow this is news to me. But what is the difference between inspired handbags vs a fake bag? If you had a bag that looks just like a Bal city which the markets in Florence all sell, can you be in trouble? They're not very good replicas but anyone can tell they're modelled after the Bal City. I suppose it's the logo that matter?
No, Platinum_babie! I have just phoned the French Customs to ask the question.
When, visually, the bag immediately makes you ( and the Customs Officer....) think of a brand ( in that case the Bal City) It's considered as a counterfeit even If the bag bears no logo or bears the name of another manufacturer.... Or even If there are small differences in the details.
When I went to Italy I was told that the Italian police are corrupt... The smugglers that smuggles the Nigerian men to sells counterfeit stuff work together with the police. When someone purchases a fake bag/item, someone informs the police about it.
Hi guys..
So i have a question, I will be travelling to Japan through Narita and from what I heard, the customs at Narita are strict.
I will be travelling wih many of my family member, and a lot of them wear cheaply made counterfeit/fake bag and clothes. Some of them bought Mirror Quality handbag that is expensive, and really hard to tell (at least for me). I tried to warned them about this, but they said its all they have, and I asked them what will they bring, and they say only bring one bag (still fake), but because they are worried they will not bring the fake clothes. And to make it worse, they will bring the fake bags and put it on their baggage, so the security will not be seize their counterfeit stuff. I am more afraid to hear their statement, because don't it mean they smuggled it?
I live where the law about wearing/buying/selling counterfeit items is not strict at all.
Does anyone has similar experience? Or can they getaway with bringing fake items if the counterfeit goods were hidden in the baggage?
So i have a question, I will be travelling to Japan through Narita and from what I heard, the customs at Narita are strict.
I will be travelling wih many of my family member, and a lot of them wear cheaply made counterfeit/fake bag and clothes. Some of them bought Mirror Quality handbag that is expensive, and really hard to tell (at least for me). I tried to warned them about this, but they said its all they have, and I asked them what will they bring, and they say only bring one bag (still fake), but because they are worried they will not bring the fake clothes. And to make it worse, they will bring the fake bags and put it on their baggage, so the security will not be seize their counterfeit stuff. I am more afraid to hear their statement, because don't it mean they smuggled it?
I live where the law about wearing/buying/selling counterfeit items is not strict at all.
Does anyone has similar experience? Or can they getaway with bringing fake items if the counterfeit goods were hidden in the baggage?
Yes indeed, they are planning to smuggle, and now you are in the lovely position of being an accessory to crime. I hope you can separate yourself from this behavior in some way, and I also hope nobody here will think it's a good idea to help you research successful smuggling.
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I showed your reply to them and one of them is really really scared! Thank you so much for your honesty. They are now planning to not bringing any of it
I am not hoping there are succesfull story about smuggling fake goods, the answer that I am looking for is the unsuccsesfull attempt so that my family is afraid.I dont want to be involved over their stupidity. I live in Third World Country where sadly, most people thinks like my family about designer bag.. even clothes. And fake scarfs they bought to be used as their Hijab.
If Japan is like France and I think it is.... your family MUSTN'T bring any fake goods into the country.I showed your reply to them and one of them is really really scared! Thank you so much for your honesty. They are now planning to not bringing any of it
I dont want to be involved over their stupidity. I live in Third World Country where sadly, most people thinks like my family about designer bag.. even clothes. And fake scarfs they bought to be used as their Hijab.
Customs Officers are trained !
There was a news in the newspaper here (I'm based in Asia) years ago that one of our famous actresses got confiscated all her belongings at the airport in Paris. At that time, she had more than 20 brand name bags with her; Hermes, Chanel, and LV. Some were new and some were used.
Turn out, all of them were authentic. She bought more than half of them during that trip and could provide all the receipts and the rest she bought them here. She's one of the VIP of the brands. The columnist just ended the piece of news that perhaps the police'd never seen the power of a lady who shop. I now guess it's because she's Asian.
Turn out, all of them were authentic. She bought more than half of them during that trip and could provide all the receipts and the rest she bought them here. She's one of the VIP of the brands. The columnist just ended the piece of news that perhaps the police'd never seen the power of a lady who shop. I now guess it's because she's Asian.
This is utter nonsense. The government does not pay or employ people to authenticate bags, neither could they. Given the sheer number of items/brands that are replicated, they have neither the time, resources or manpower to do so. How many people know how many bristles are in a mac makeup brush? The stitch count of the quilts in a Chanel jumbo or where the squares begin and end and what shape they should be in at either point? How many styles of shoes does Nike make...not just this year's shoes, but last years and the year before? Do they know the shade of yellow the stitching on LV monogram bags should be, or that the canvas color can vary from batch to batch due to the dye lots? Do they know when Chanel stopped making shiny Caviar and started making matte, or the length the chain of the 28cm boy should be? What about toothpaste, perfume, pharmaceuticals, hair brushes, toiletries, baby formula and the thousands of other items that are replicated? I am sure you get the picture. Most SA's cannot authenticate a bag (and the most foolish always judge the customer by their appearance anyway so if you're in VS Pink sweats and Uggs they assume your Reissue is a replica anyway) how much less likely are customs employees?
It is not illegal to buy a replica in most places, thus owning a replica breaks no laws and the police have no statutory authority to harass, detain or arrest anyone...notwithstanding stories from "reliable" sources, If indeed they go through the motions of doing this to a few people (or pretending to do it) it is just for show because they do not want people to know the truth about the luxury goods industry.... and its dirty little secret, the replica industry. Perhaps Italy and France are chosen to do this specifically....Are they not considered leaders in the fashion industry? Who would want to risk them getting found out? It would likley lead to disaster for all other countries.I have not researched these two countries and am not likely to do so....but I do question it...why France and Italy? Why not Germany or Switzerland? Suffice it to say that these two countries are the most coveted in terms of where an authentic bag is made. A "made in Paris" label can cause a fashionista to wait months for a bag that is available now that she simply does not want because it says it's made elsewhere. They do need to make the fight against the counterfeit industry look good so what better place to do it than France and Italy two countries that are considered meccas for luxury goods and designers? Two countries out of how many....? Small fish in a big pond, I'd say.
The replica handbag industry is worth over 600 billion dollars per year.. That's a lot of (tax-free) money and a lot more than the luxury goods industry makes selling "authentic" bags.. And yet, the luxury goods industry OPENLY employs deceit, in that all manufacturers of luxury goods, manufacture most of the product in China and then ship the product to another country to have the handle or some other part assembled to the bag so they can stamp it with that country's "made in" label. This should not be news to anyone...at one time there was a thread about it on this very forum. And yet most of us miss the implication. If the luxury goods industry employs deceit (that your $5,000 Chanel Jumbo Caviar SHW stamped "Made in Italy" or "Made in Paris" was actually produced in China (in a sweatshop, under the most deplorable working conditions, no less unbeknownst to you) what else are they being deceptive about? It stands to reason that those who employ deceit in one area, will use it in all other areas.
Again, it is not illegal to BUY/OWN a bag but to sell one because the buyer does not infringe upon copyright law. It's the branding that is at issue and it's the branding that will also open your eyes to the truth, because in reality, it is the mechanism that controls WHO gets to make those replicas....and who does not.
It will NEVER be illegal to buy a replica (and the word "fake" is a misnomer designed to mislead) there is too much money in it, and those who the media portrays as benefactors do not exist AT ALL. A 600 billion dollar per year industry, is not some haphazard attempt by a few random "criminals" hiding their factories in the remote corners of China (yes, the factories are hidden, the show must go on) It is a thriving, booming business that brings REVENUE into a foreign country. It is a lucrative, highly organized affair.
Indeed, people purchase replica's the same way that people buy authentics - with electronic money.They use the post office, dhl, ups, fedex, ems, etc. to ship these parcels and they must pass through customs. And they pass, yes they do. Customs makes SURE of it. There is a shipping trail from the seller to the customer and there is a legal paper trail. At any time, the governments of the world could SHUT IT DOWN. But they don't. And they never will, though they will use all of their resources to make the masses think that they do.
Here in the US replica bags are seized all of the time...but not most of the time. How do these people know which parcels to seize and which to leave alone? As there are no team of authenticators at customs, how do they know that the item is a replica? What is it about that package that makes them think it's a replica?
These are questions everyone who really wants to know the truth about these two industries and their relationship to each other should ask.
But let's just say that in the age that we live in, in order for a business to make the most money out of its endeavors is to compete against itself.
It seems they are doing just that....
It is not illegal to buy a replica in most places, thus owning a replica breaks no laws and the police have no statutory authority to harass, detain or arrest anyone...notwithstanding stories from "reliable" sources, If indeed they go through the motions of doing this to a few people (or pretending to do it) it is just for show because they do not want people to know the truth about the luxury goods industry.... and its dirty little secret, the replica industry. Perhaps Italy and France are chosen to do this specifically....Are they not considered leaders in the fashion industry? Who would want to risk them getting found out? It would likley lead to disaster for all other countries.I have not researched these two countries and am not likely to do so....but I do question it...why France and Italy? Why not Germany or Switzerland? Suffice it to say that these two countries are the most coveted in terms of where an authentic bag is made. A "made in Paris" label can cause a fashionista to wait months for a bag that is available now that she simply does not want because it says it's made elsewhere. They do need to make the fight against the counterfeit industry look good so what better place to do it than France and Italy two countries that are considered meccas for luxury goods and designers? Two countries out of how many....? Small fish in a big pond, I'd say.
The replica handbag industry is worth over 600 billion dollars per year.. That's a lot of (tax-free) money and a lot more than the luxury goods industry makes selling "authentic" bags.. And yet, the luxury goods industry OPENLY employs deceit, in that all manufacturers of luxury goods, manufacture most of the product in China and then ship the product to another country to have the handle or some other part assembled to the bag so they can stamp it with that country's "made in" label. This should not be news to anyone...at one time there was a thread about it on this very forum. And yet most of us miss the implication. If the luxury goods industry employs deceit (that your $5,000 Chanel Jumbo Caviar SHW stamped "Made in Italy" or "Made in Paris" was actually produced in China (in a sweatshop, under the most deplorable working conditions, no less unbeknownst to you) what else are they being deceptive about? It stands to reason that those who employ deceit in one area, will use it in all other areas.
Again, it is not illegal to BUY/OWN a bag but to sell one because the buyer does not infringe upon copyright law. It's the branding that is at issue and it's the branding that will also open your eyes to the truth, because in reality, it is the mechanism that controls WHO gets to make those replicas....and who does not.
It will NEVER be illegal to buy a replica (and the word "fake" is a misnomer designed to mislead) there is too much money in it, and those who the media portrays as benefactors do not exist AT ALL. A 600 billion dollar per year industry, is not some haphazard attempt by a few random "criminals" hiding their factories in the remote corners of China (yes, the factories are hidden, the show must go on) It is a thriving, booming business that brings REVENUE into a foreign country. It is a lucrative, highly organized affair.
Indeed, people purchase replica's the same way that people buy authentics - with electronic money.They use the post office, dhl, ups, fedex, ems, etc. to ship these parcels and they must pass through customs. And they pass, yes they do. Customs makes SURE of it. There is a shipping trail from the seller to the customer and there is a legal paper trail. At any time, the governments of the world could SHUT IT DOWN. But they don't. And they never will, though they will use all of their resources to make the masses think that they do.
Here in the US replica bags are seized all of the time...but not most of the time. How do these people know which parcels to seize and which to leave alone? As there are no team of authenticators at customs, how do they know that the item is a replica? What is it about that package that makes them think it's a replica?
These are questions everyone who really wants to know the truth about these two industries and their relationship to each other should ask.
But let's just say that in the age that we live in, in order for a business to make the most money out of its endeavors is to compete against itself.
It seems they are doing just that....
https://www.cbp.gov/FakeGoodsRealDangers
Above link includes dangers of buying counterfeits.
Plus video of how the U.S. CBP reviews packages to find them.
Includes contact info., for anyone to report known violations.
Above link includes dangers of buying counterfeits.
Plus video of how the U.S. CBP reviews packages to find them.
Includes contact info., for anyone to report known violations.
This is nonsense too. When these designers took their production overseas, U.S. jobs were lost. And they were not the only ones to do so as most of the goods in the US are important. There is almost NO production in the United States. A country that was once self-sufficient is now dependent on others for virtually everything. The few businesses left in the US can barely survive because people do not want to pay what they consider "high prices" only because imported goods cost less. But the blame does not belong to the counterfeit industry,neither are the corporations losing money when a replica item is sold. Let us think for a moment...a business that brings in over 600 billion dollars a year...do you actually think the corporations are going to let that happen? That they are going to sit idly by while some imaginary counterfeiter uses their branding to make more money annually than they do? It will never happen. What would they lose if people found out the truth, and what lengths would they go to to protect their deception? I can tell you.
They will go to ANY length to protect it.
Replica bags are made mostly in China. So are "authentic" bags. Do you find this to be odd? Personally I do not believe in coincidence. Now, I have studied the replica and the luxury goods industries. And the biggest complain I have heard from those who buy replica's is why the factories who make them can't produce a replica that is exactly like the authentic.
The answer is not that they can't, but that they WON'T. The reason should be obvious.
A person who employs deception in one area, will employ deception in all other areas and they will do what is necessary to divert attention away from themselves in order to protect their monetary interests. Read between the lines. This industry doesn't make billions of dollars for no reason. It cost money to run a legitimate business...not so with replica's. The cost virtually nothing in comparison. Have you ever looked at the net worth of the families behind these products? Compared their net worth to the companies annual report? Perhaps you should. Perhpas.
The "legitimate" companies don't care about their clientele either.Interstate commerce is all about the Benjamins baby. The well being of the client isn't even a factor. If it were, they wouldn't sell you a product for thousands of dollars that only cost them a few dollars to make.
LV, Prada, Chanel, Gucci, YSL and all other brands have quality control issues and the web houses an enormous number of complaints about the products themselves and the service. Health issues? The same chemicals used to create replica bags are the same ones used in authentic bags.PVC is pvc no matter where it is found. Payless is a legitimate company and the chemical smell coming from some of their shoes is enough to make your stomach turn. They make shoes for CHILDREN. But no one is up in arms about that.
People buy counterfeit goods every single day of the week and twice on Sunday. There are low quality replica's and high quality replica's. Michael Michael Kors knocks off every LV item there is and puts his own branding on it and no one cares. So does Kate Spade and a host of other labels. I could go on and on but I won't.
Believe what you like, I'm done.
I'm not commenting on fakes or not, but just wanted to say that this was very entertaining and well written
Serious subject, but the tone of your post made me smile 