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Proactive Disclosure
Really good deal? Might not be real
PDF Version (1.25MB)
Counterfeiting: You will pay the price
That counterfeit perfume might smell nice, but from a legal standpoint, it stinks
Counterfeiting is not just about false bank notes. It is about brand-name luxury watches that are never on time or auto parts you got for a steal. It is about that vital medication whose price was so easy to swallow. Household items, food, alcohol, toys, perfume, electronics and medication, you name it: counterfeiting is a growing problem, not just in Canada, but worldwide.
The worst part is that it’s insidious. It hurts the economy and industry, leads to lost jobs and, above all, is a serious threat to the health and safety of consumers like you. Counterfeiting short-changes everyone!.
Counterfeiting and intellectual property crime in Canada: In the Billions of dollars.
Name that crime
- Counterfeiting or modifying a trademark
- Distributing or selling counterfeit products
Satellite piracy
Selling or using illegal equipment
Unauthorized recording of a movie
Recording a film in a movie theatre
Copyright violation
Selling a copyrighted work without permission
Fraud
Deceiving the public for material gain
Repercussions
For you and your loved ones
- Threats to your health and safety
- Job loss
- Diminished faith in Canadian institutions
For the Canadian economy
- Loss of revenue for businesses
- Weakened reputation of Canadian products
- Financing of criminal networks
The maximum penalty for a counterfeiting offence is 5 years in jail
and a fine of up to $1 million.
Counterfeiting: You will pay the price
What you see is not what you get!
- Items “designed to protect you” can actually injure you
- “Exclusive offers” found to be of shockingly low quality or may simply never arrive even after you have spent your pretty penny
- “Bargain” products that cause heavy losses for Canadian jobs and businesses
- Medications purchased “without a prescription” may contain toxic ingredients, and may make you sick
- Counterfeit “popular brand-name” products that can harm your loved ones
- “Bargain” products that may fund criminal networks
Often imitated, never matched.
Distinguish a fake from the real thing, and avoid being disappointed, ripped off or hurt.
Remember the 4 P’s.
1. Does the PRICE reasonably reflect the value?
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- The cost of the product is significantly lower than usual
- The seller offers to drop the taxes or doesn’t give you a receipt
- The seller is in a hurry to make the sale
2. Is the PACKAGING properly labelled and appropriate?
Legitimate businesses invest a great deal of money to attract consumers’ attention. Make sure to look out for errors on the packaging.
The packaging design is shoddy or inaccurate- A product normally sold in packages is being sold individually
- The instructions are available only in a foreign language
- The packaging or instructions contain spelling mistakes
- The product label fails to include the usual elements, such as the manufacturer’s name, the logo, the brand name and a product number.
3. Are you familiar with the PLACE of purchase? Does it match the products being sold?
Ask the seller questions. Counterfeiters don’t know their products very well.
- You are unable to reach the business’s customer service department
- The business’s main address is a post office box
- The business’s suppliers are unknown
- The business’s warehouse and sales facilities are shoddy
4. Does the PRODUCT’S quality seem acceptable?
Shoddy product? That’s a red flag!
If you have doubts about the quality of a product you’ve purchased, don’t use it!
- The product doesn’t fit the packaging well.
- Text printed on the item is blurry.
- The quality of the product is unsatisfactory.
- Certification marks are printed on the packaging, but not on the product.
- The product logo or colours are different than usual.
- The serial number is lacking, damaged or incomplete
Many products are good for us. But imitations can be a tough pill to swallow.
Trademark infringement
Registering a trademark with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) is a way of protecting products and their associated visual elements against intellectual property infringement.
Reproduction, substitution or distribution of these distinct features with intent to deceive the public is a criminal offence.
Keep your eyes open: any number of items you are already using may be counterfeit, and you may not even know it. Your health may be threatened!
Keep you and your loved ones safe. Buy authentic.
Counterfeit Medication
- Counterfeit medication may contain dangerous additives, the wrong dosage of active ingredients, or no medicinal ingredients at all.
- When you purchase medication online, you miss out on two important safety nets:
- Expert diagnoses provided by health care professionals.
- Quality control provided by accredited pharmacists.
- Moreover, you have no guarantee that your personal information is safe.
- In fact, medication ordered online can be confiscated once it reaches Canada.
Counterfeit Equipment or Devices
- They can cause injuries to users, or damage other electrical and electronic devices.
- They could explode or melt.
- They can have a shorter lifespan.
- Household batteries, circuit breakers, extension cords, flat irons, generators and electric hedge trimmers can all bear false certifications.
Counterfeit Alcohol and Food Products
These may pose serious health risks when consumed.
Counterfeit Toys
These pose a risk of fire, electrocution or may be toxic.
Counterfeit Health and Beauty Products
- They can be contaminated with bacteria and cause undesirable side effects.
- Examples of such counterfeit products include toothpaste and shampoo that do not contain product information in English or French, or a product identification number, as the authentic products do.
Counterfeit Condoms
Because they were not approved by the relevant authorities, counterfeit condoms may fail to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Counterfeit Computer Parts and Electronic Devices
When these low-quality, lower-capacity peripherals are installed, they can infect your computer with viruses, leaving you vulnerable to identity theft and fraud.
Counterfeit Auto Parts
These carry a risk of premature wear and failure.
Counterfeit Sporting Equipment
There is no guarantee that they meet safety standards, as they may be sold with false certifications.
Food for thought
In British Columbia, a woman died after consuming medication purchased on the Web. The medication contained uranium and lead.
A young boy from Great Britain was electrocuted and died while playing a video game. His parents had just purchased a counterfeit charger during their vacation. The life of a child is not worth the gamble.
This film really gets your adrenaline flowing. But it might not have a happy ending.
Copyright Piracy
A copyright is a form of protection granted by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and does not systematically require registration. Several types of work are protected under the authority of the copyright holder from the time a work is created: music, films, books, photos and publications. Distributing these works without permission of the copyright owner is a criminal offence.
Remember, ideas are priceless!
Copyright. Copy? Wrong. Make sure it’s legal!
Did you know?
The RCMP investigates the illegal distribution of copyrighted products in order to target the networks causing the greatest harm to our industries.
Copyright violation has a number of economic and cultural consequences
- Revenues and jobs are lost.
- Artists have trouble coming to the forefront and gaining recognition.
Don’t get caught in the Web
Remember that when you buy on the Web, you can’t verify the authenticity of the packaging and the product.
Can you spot a counterfeit product? Ask yourself these 3 questions
Who’s selling it?
- Is the business’s main address a post office box?
- Is the business’s customer service department accessible only by email?
What’s the deal?
- Are you being offered “rare” works that aren’t available anywhere else?
- Is the box containing the merchandise flimsy?
What are you watching?
- Is the image blurry?
- Do the film description and actors’ names contain errors?
- Is the back of the disc smooth?
- Was the work burned on a rewritable disc?
Have you witnessed an event relating to film piracy? If so, you can file an anonymous report with the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association by going to www.cmpda.org or by calling 1-800-363-9166.
This satellite dish doesn’t just pick up TV channels… It gives me a leading role in a drama I didn’t ask for.
Know how to decode the signs of piracy
Modifying a satellite receiver or obtaining access codes in order to illegally pick up signals encoded by authorized satellite distributors constitutes telecommunications theft.
Did you know?
The RCMP investigates satellite piracy throughout Canada.
No matter what anyone tells you, using a modified receiver is a crime.
According to the regulations of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Bell ExpressVu and Star Choice are the only two authorized Canadian distributors.
Heavy losses…
Every year, the Canadian economy loses over $300 million to satellite signal theft.
Are you being encouraged to engage in satellite piracy? Learn to spot the signs
- You are being offered the ability to decode U.S. television signals.
- In a discreet location, like the back of the store, you’re being offered a card or equipment that will let you capture more signals.
- You are sold a receiver from a U.S. supplier.
If you believe you have encountered a counterfeit, sound the alarm immediately
Contact the legitimate manufacturer or distributor of the product.
If the item is a potential threat to your health or safety, contact your local RCMP detachment.
