From DNAIndia.com this article mentions a warning to consumers as counterfeiters are collecting and reusing bottles and other packaging materials.

The packaging industry is losing revenue: Beers and spirits make up the bulk of this, at around 55%, while food & beverages and pharmaceuticals account for 15% each; the rest is made up by cosmetics & perfumery and exports.

So the packaging of the product must be designed so that it is a one use item, and the consumer must be warned that Pharmaceutical products must be packed (and designed) in a certain way, otherwise it can be a counterfeit product. (Tony Zafiropoulos)

From AllAfrica.com This article discusses the challenges that Nigeria faces.

Nigeria's challenge is to use it's meager resources in the most prudent way.  Is quality important? Is brand protection important?  If Nigeria can make less expensive products with decent quality is that a good policy?

I believe that Nigeria has a different set of problems than some of the other countries that have been thrust into law enforcement of counterfeit products.

In Nigeria the issue is using meager resources in the most prudent way. One of the arguments is why not copy brands if they have enough quality to make it worthwhile for the country.  This kind of an argument is not a good one in my opinion. As growth by counterfeiting is not a good growth industry.  It is an easy choice for me to make from here, but Nigeria has to look at the long-term implications, good growth with property rights and Intellectual Property rights are more sustaining than a quick lets counterfeit our way into prosperity.

I am really affirming what the choices are for Nigeria, and they have chosen the right path, with trying to go after substandard Tobacco makers for example.  It is sometimes good to look at all of your options however ridiculous it seems at first.  It will keep you on track when the distractions come up as they surely will.(Tony Zafiropoulos)

Article at Worldgolf.com: Acushnet found the sellers operating out of Ebay and physically out of London Borough.

"This is a historic case not only for the golf manufacturers, but for all brand owners who must combat the increasing global problem of online counterfeit products," said Lisa Rogan, Acushnet Company Trademark Manager.

This is great news - unfortunately this is only the tip of the iceberg - since it is so easy to set up shop, there are a lot of people creating counterfeit goods. (Tony Zafiropoulos)

World Customs Organization: 2008 report shows increases in counterfeit goods

"With more than 2000 different counterfeited trademarks intercepted at border crossings originating from 106 countries and heading to 140 countries and a 77% increase in the number of seizures over 2007 (14981 versus 8421).  With a total value intercepted at 3.1 Billion Euros, or 4.5 Billion Dollars there is a definite need for authentication products to combat the ever increasing counterfeit products. The top products counterfeited were pornographic items(79.5mil), cigarette items(33.9mil), medicines(33.9mil), and games and toys(20mil)." Tony Zafiropoulos.

(pictures from WCO report)

Tony Zafiropoulos
9/27/2009

Sheriff could not tell fakes from real vehicle stickers

Quotes:

Not even Sheriff Lupe Valdez could tell the difference between the fake stickers and the real deal.

Valdez and County Judge Jim Foster said the task force's efforts are reducing harmful emissions by stopping polluting vehicles from getting fake stickers.

Man arrested for sale of $2mil worth of counterfeit goods.

Seattle911Blog

Including Bowflex exercise machines, designer blenders, North Face Backpacks, and counterfeit DVD's. He had to give up two sports cars and $30,000 in property when taken into custody. The ICE - Immigration and Customs Enforcement made the arrest.

Tony Zafiropoulos
9/25/2009

SIFE Lecture on Counterfeit Goods.

SIFE Lecture on counterfeit Goods at Canisius College in Western New York.

Canisius College will welcome British Journalist and Broadcaster Tim Phillips to campus on Tuesday, October 29, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center. Phillips will present “Knockoff,” a discussion about the damage done to consumers and economic development by the production and consumption of counterfeit goods.

Tony Zafiropoulos
9/24/2009

MISSISSIPPI AG   has an anti-counterfeit strategy  
WAPT ABC Channel16 in Jackson, MS - says that the Attorney General has started 'Operation knock-out Knock-off' to help educate consumers and incarcerate criminals in the counterfeit industry.

"The fake goods, which pose a health danger to residents, are our primary concern," Hood said. "However, we're also going after those who make or sell knock-offs of brand label products. We have found that dope dealers are turning to the lucrative trade of selling counterfeit products such as Apple iPods and Sony camcorders. The trade of counterfeit products and pirated music and movies has also been linked to terrorist organizations as a funding source. It is a type of theft that costs American and Mississippi businesses dearly on the economic front and injure our consumers."

Tony Zafiropoulos
9/23/2009

Electrical industry Alert on counterfeit AC/DC converters
ECNMag.com article: Aimtec has confirmed that counterfeit versions of its DC/DC converters are being manufactured and sold, by unauthorized distributors, to unsuspecting customers in various regions around the world.   "While the company continues to thoroughly investigate their sources," states Vladimir Serafimov, President of Aimtec Inc., "we must warn customers of the quality and reliability risks associated with the use of counterfeit products." 

Tony Zafiropoulos
9/22/2009

World Health Organization(WHO) website:IMPACT
Impact:International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce
WHO has created a global coalition of stakeholders to combat counterfeiting.

One of the messages at the site is: "Counterfeit Drugs Kill", it is there to create public awareness.

Anti-malaria and HIV drugs are frequently counterfeited.

Tony Zafiropoulos
9/21/2009

CCC-TV analyze RFID Security
Analyzing RFID Security Video at CCC-TV
"The video discusses RFID weaknesses,  using the Mifare classic cards and show an open source software-controlled RFID reader.  This way one can read RFID tags."

Tony Zafiropoulos
9/20/2009

GSM is not secure - your calls can be listened to
Register.co.uk article about the A5/1 encryption algorithm in GSM. Apparently there is a better encryption algorithm, but it is not being used by the mobile phones and carrier companies.  The A5/1 encryption algorithm has been cracked. 

The article mentions another method where a fake cell station can be created and force phones to skip encryption technology, thus making it easy to listen in on conversation on your GSM cell phone.

Tony Zafiropoulos
9/19/2009

RFID privacy and other issues
Heise Online has an article about several RFID problems. "First problem is cracking the RFID encryption itself. The article mentions Juels and colleagues cloning a State of Washington electronic drivers license, which could be read at 50 meters and at .5 meters with the state supplied sleeve.  The article mentions a potential solution to encryption obfuscation by hiding the secret key in hundreds of RFID tags.  But when doing this the consumer can no longer test the RFID authenticity by themselves."

In my opinion(Tony Zafiropoulos)  RFID being electronic in nature will always have a potential of a porous defense. Its encryption is only as good as the hacker knowledge and resources in trying to crack it. Over and over throughout history all electronic means have been cracked with enough time and resources.  When you hear 128bit encryption in computer encryption technologies you can just be sure that the hacker will have to take more time to crack the code.

If you really do need an unbreakable code mechanism/solution then talk to us about a chemical compound-encryption solution.  

Tony Zafiropoulos
9/18/2009

European Commission adopts new anti-counterfeiting measures
Jpost has an article about the EU resolution on anti-counterfeiting measures. Although this is another good step in the right direction by giving companies more information about this problem (fake goods), the only way to combat this problem is to have excellent product identification capabilities.

Tony Zafiropoulos
9/17/2009

Uganda fake medicine: 5 tons impounded

Counterfeit Medicine - can be deadly

Anti-Counterfeiting Solution

Anti-Counterfeiting efforts require a systemic approach. It has to be integrated into your products, product packaging, and marketing efforts for it to work correctly.

There also needs to be good anti-counterfeit enforcement programs. Agents have to go and investigate counterfeit products. Your agents can bring the fake products to the attention of law enforcement agencies worldwide.

Your products have to differentiate with other products in the marketplace, and differentiate with fake products created by counterfeiters.

There has to be a marketing and anti-counterfeit strategy in place.


Tony Zafiropoulos
09/15/2009

Wireless Bluetooth reader to locate passive ID Tags

From RFID News.mobi Blog:
"The Bluetooth RFID reader eliminates the need for a wired connection between the RFID reader and the central database, with Bluetooth connectivity…  

Daily RFID has released 13.56MHz Bluetooth RFID reader DL990 for mobile applications."

It is interesting to note that the wireless Bluetooth frequency which is in most newer cellphones as well is now being used by the RFID industry.  In anti-counterfeiting technologies one must make the technology hard to reverse-engineer (or crack/hack).   Setting up an easy to use technology has the drawback of also inviting hackers with their electronics expertise to attempt to break the security precautions of RFID technologies. 

There are a lot less hackers out in the world which can reverse-engineer chemical compounds and then develop the compound in such a way that it reflects green and in such a way where there is actually information embedded in it.




The above picture is a simple representation of a spectral emission  signature that would have to be reverse-engineered. 

This is why we claim with certainty that our technology is not hackable within a reasonable time frame.

Of course with enough time and resources anything can be reverse engineered. But when you make the effort so difficult only very large efforts (the machinery of state governments for example) or setting the time frame to several years of concerted effort. You have essentially changed the game.