Watch for counterfeits

Watch for counterfeits!.

 

WHAT'S ON your Christmas list? Is it a DVD, an Armani T-shirt or a pair of Nike trainers? If you haven't got enough money, you could google for 'cheap fashion' or 'free downloads'.

 

You'll find some good deals for less than a week's pocket money. But stop right there. If something looks to good to be true, it probably is. Lawyer Claire Thompkins, from the fi rm AJ Park, warns about the dangers of shopping for brand bargains online: not only may the fake logo on your new sweater fade; you can also have real problems - if the parcel ever gets to you in the fi rst place.

 

Imagine ordering a shirt or sweater from overseas and getting a nasty letter or a huge fi ne from Customs instead. That hoody you bought as a factory second never saw the inside of an Adidas or Nike factory. You might not have known, but you are still in big trouble: that parcel has your name on it, so you are the illegal importer. You might have ordered a dozen items with Dad's credit card and planned to sell them to your mates at school. And we all know trademe.co.nz is an awesome place to get some extra pocket money.

 

But don't think you're anonymous as bumblebee92 or badboy14.

 

Trade Me will report you to the police if you are trading illegal, counterfeit goods. You can end up in prison for five years.

 

Wishes aren't granted for free, either. Downloading a fi lm may seem a mouseclick away, but beware of a real-life horror movie. The New Zealand Federation Against Copyright theft is on the lookout: penalties of $150,000 will make you poor, not popular.
Emily Walton

 

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