Counterfeit culture - From fake Chinese brands to fake medicines.

I saw a documentary recently titled: "Counterfeiting".

In South Africa everybody knows that a lot of fake and substandard goods from China are available.

With clothes and some electronic equipment, I suppose most people would prefer to get cheaper goods, and they wouldn't complain.

After all, counterfeiting and copying has been around for a very long time.
Perhaps one could even say it's a form of rebellion against capitalist profiteering.

But what about counterfeiting medicines that end up in pharmacies?

What about counterfeiting razor blades that are blunt and cause lasting skin conditions, and that are produced in unhygienic factories?

It was an interesting clip.
There's a whole village in China that re-paints classic masterpieces.
They can paint an exact replica of a Van Gogh in 40 minutes.

Even food-stuffs, like eggs, can be counterfeited.
Such eggs are cheaper than raising chickens, although the chemicals they contain can cause dementia.

The worst counterfeiting must certainly be that of medicines.
It's frightening to think that sub-standard, fake condoms are distributed in Africa.
Much worse is that over a million Africans die annually because of fake Malaria drugs!

Fake drugs for heart diseases and cancer have been discovered in UK pharmacies.
Fake diabetes drugs have caused many deaths in countries like Nigeria.

How did this all start, and where is it potentially heading?

The funniest thing was seeing all the "industry representatives" at a press conference of a meeting to fight counterfeiting.

One journalist asked why they never mentioned China, since it was the source of all the fakes.
They all sat silently, twiddling their thumbs.
I suddenly understood why the Dalai Lama wasn't invited to Mandela's funeral, and even Desmond Tutu was snubbed.
The Chinese rule the world, and whoever insults them, or just criticizes them, will be punished and excluded.

None of the big labels will criticize China, because that's where their own overpriced labels are made.
Sometimes I think they make money from both the originals and the copies.
After all, the copies keep the prices of the originals very high.
That seems like a very obvious conspiracy.

Then one hears of child labor, slavery, entire villages producing just one electronic product, and people chained to machines for 20 hours.

OK, from a consumer's point of view, I wouldn't mind if it's just fake DVDs, vitamins or cellular phones - but airplane and car parts?
Life-saving medicines?

How can this be controlled or stopped?
If it cannot be regulated all the advances of civilization will be doomed!

reply to post by halfoldman


I have a friend at work who is Chinese and he told me how these things happen. Since these people get paid next to nothing to work long days assembling these things, they sneak a product or two home then reverse engineer it and start producing it on the side and make money on the side selling the knockoff. Since they usually can't get the actual materials to make these things, they have to settle for substandard materials.

So really, if you want to nip this counterfeit thing in the butt. Stop supporting cheap slave and child labor. Otherwise accept that the counterfeit products will proliferate throughout the world. These people need to survive too and the money they receive for working for countries like Apple aren't cutting it. If these people were paid a decent living, they wouldn't have to resort to shady activities to make additional money.

reply to post by Krazysh0t

Some of that is very true as advice, although I doubt it will solve the problem.

I'd think that by now there are already levels of counterfeiting in which a middle class, and not only the poorest labor (or slave labor) is involved.

Besides that, the poor masses of South Africa are hardly the cause of global slave labor, yet such are the markets for these products.

Counterfeiting used to be about people getting labels and fashions they couldn't afford.
Now that industry has almost turned counterfeit shopping into an art of its own.

However, nobody ever asked for fake condoms or life-saving drugs that look exactly like the original but contain only dirt and cheap chemicals.

That is not supply and demand.
That is a genocidal poisoning that nobody ordered, and the people who spread that crap are psychopathic killers.

reply to post by halfoldman


Well that is the thing. We've been in that country for so long forcing these people to work for dirt cheap, that this underground counterfeit culture has become ingrained into their mindsets. My Chinese friend spoke to me about it like it was just a way of life. It isn't surprising that this activity is rising into the higher social classes. It also isn't surprising that some unscrupulous businessmen have jumped into the game and started making dangerous counterfeit products.

Krazysh0t
I have a friend at work who is Chinese and he told me how these things happen. Since these people get paid next to nothing to work long days assembling these things, they sneak a product or two home then reverse engineer it and start producing it on the side and make money on the side selling the knockoff.

I've also heard that the very same factories that produce originals, also produce the copies.
eg. BigBrand place an order for 10,000 units.
When those are made and supplied, the factory keeps going and supplies the black market. But as you say, often with cheaper materials.

So strange in the beginning of the video, when a journalist asks why nobody mentioned China at their conference to stop counterfeiting (see 05:57)?

Then there's the awkward spectacle of absolute silence from representatives of NBC Universal, Interpol, WIPO, World Customs, INTA and Daimler Chrysler.

Some of those are supposed to be independent bodies, not even connected to selling things.

Well, what is one supposed to think?
They're all on a nice, big corrupt pay-roll.

Just the usual crime story - the small fish and foot-soldiers get caught, and the big fish swim behind international politics.

The global system seems almost geared towards it.
Masses of people are underpaid while goods are too expensive because of fat CEO salaries.
Then they sell the cheaper crap via the back-door, without warranties or consumer protection.

Never buy electrical switches or plugs for your home made in China. Pay the extra and get Canadian made or in the USA, don't trust that stuff to be tied to and control my outlets and switches. I hear their drywall is not good either and molds easily. That's my personal opinion.

My favorite is there theme park.

cinedork.com...

And here you thought it was just some little guy who was doing all those fake products. Hell they are building theme parks based on pirating.

It's actually an incredibly urgent situation when regular medicines turn out to be duds because they were made in a sub-standard eastern factory.

The sad thing is that nobody would have cared whatsoever, especially if it would have remained limited to some poor countries in Africa.

I think most people won't react until it kills - or almost kills - one of their loved ones.

If the deadly crap has been found in UK pharmacies, then I bet it's in the US too.

Governments won't stop this.

I fear it won't stop at all until people boycott entire countries and communities, and send a powerful social and economic message back to China.
Unfortunately that's what it will take, even though many would rather die than be politically incorrect.

I love China assembled IBANEZ guitars. They're not knockoffs but genuine. Except they're assembled in China not the USA. A decent chinese ibanez electric six stringer costs $185. Unlike a USA model for $450.

No difference in quality whatsoever. Selling like hot cakes out here.

AsianAlienKungFusion
I love China assembled IBANEZ guitars. They're not knockoffs but genuine. Except they're assembled in China not the USA. A decent chinese ibanez electric six stringer costs $185. Unlike a USA model for $450.

No difference in quality whatsoever. Selling like hot cakes out here.

I actually bought an electric Ibanez overseas; has a great neck and is on par with the Fender as far as quality and sound. Not crazy about the bridge and the way it is strung but it is a nice guitar.. I will probably take a drill to the bridge and make six hole so I do not have to cut the head off the string when changing them.

Many of the knock-off drugs seem to come from India in Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Some of the pills the guys take cost $15 from Farma and less than $3 from India. I have not tried any myself but some of the guys swear by them and make runs to what ever country has the best deal for a few months supply.

In S.E. Asia you can watch a movie that was just released to the theaters for free online because someone has filmed or copied the thing in the theater; black market DVDs are in every city I have ever been to.. Many larger movie houses are doing a TSA type search for cameras before admittance trying to stop the practice; so far with no effect if the results are measured.. Basically whatever cost a fortune there is a knock off that can be had for 10% the cost..

There was a big police action last year where many of the side walk venders had their stuff confiscated because it was not legit but knock-offs (wonder what happened to the items?). It really is not the venders who are trying to make a living but the suppliers and manufactures that need to be chased down to stop the practice... The venders were back in business within the week from what I could tell ?

If China will put stuff in baby formula and dog food that is found to have extremely negative health results for those who ingest I think I would pass; their quality control seems to be lacking or they don't care?

The Chinese dry-wall was sold in the states when the building boom dried up all the domestic production which was running on total overtime. There where a couple of ships full of the stuff at Houston harbor. The only person I know who used some said it was heavier than U.S. made... I do not know about the mildew problem but will take your word for it.

reply to post by 727Sky


Regarding the other stuff you mentioned, don't take my word pal. I know what you mean.

Was comparing the chinese ibanez to a usa assembled ibanez. The stores out here are authorised dealers so don't know how you ended up with an inferior quality model. Frankly haven't seen a chinese assembled Fender strat in our stores yet. Don't know if Fender outsources assembly to china.

Even the guys who buy the chinese guitars always get the pickups replaced with Dimarzio or Diaddrio pickups (the stock pickups are good but you can get the best for a bit extra).

Used to see those camcorder new movies a few years ago. But now with the internet people are downloading pirated good quality ones. Worth the wait I guess. Even if its pirated

Regarding the low (hazardous) quality of baby food and medicines thats something of concern. I'm surprised it hasn't been a major issue yet.

AsianAlienKungFusion
reply to post by 727Sky

 

Regarding the other stuff you mentioned, don't take my word pal. I know what you mean.

Was comparing the chinese ibanez to a usa assembled ibanez. The stores out here are authorised dealers so don't know how you ended up with an inferior quality model. Frankly haven't seen a chinese assembled Fender strat in our stores yet. Don't know if Fender outsources assembly to china.

Even the guys who buy the chinese guitars always get the pickups replaced with Dimarzio or Diaddrio pickups (the stock pickups are good but you can get the best for a bit extra).

Used to see those camcorder new movies a few years ago. But now with the internet people are downloading pirated good quality ones. Worth the wait I guess. Even if its pirated

Regarding the low (hazardous) quality of baby food and medicines thats something of concern. I'm surprised it hasn't been a major issue yet.

edit on 17 12 13 by AsianAlienKungFusion because: (no reason given)

Sorry I was not clear, the Strat I have was USA made... I have had an Ibanez standard guitar for at least 30 years and have always respected it's quality and sound... that was one of the reasons I bought the electric; for the name and price.... it does have a great neck as far as my liking.

whatnext21
Never buy electrical switches or plugs for your home made in China. Pay the extra and get Canadian made or in the USA, don't trust that stuff to be tied to and control my outlets and switches. I hear their drywall is not good either and molds easily. That's my personal opinion.

edit on 12/16/2013 by whatnext21 because: (no reason given)

The brands of electrical outlets made in North America, now say 'made in China', not sure of all of them, but I replaced an outlet and this brand name was once made in Canada or USA, No longer.
Even 'Vice Grips' are made in China now.

I get a kick out of you guys that say 'Oh, don't buy Chinese goods, buy North America', well, we would if we could, but what is still made in North America that you can easily find?

And getting back on track here, the reason for counterfeiting is because things cost too much for the sake of vanity and/or greed and people want to save money for the same reason (vanity for a bargain price in order to look well to do)
So what makes a purse worth $600.00? I'll tell you; nothing! Some designer advertises themselves, gets known and laughs all the way to the bank.
Do I frown when I see a fake prada? No, I don't, because a prada is really not that much better, some people just want to look high end and stroke their ego's.
The problem is rich people and people that want to emulate them and look like them and those who cash in on overpriced items simply because of a name on the label.

Oh, and another reason is capitalism, people just want to make and need money, a lot of the rich people simply are not paying enough and they wine when the bucks slow down coming from the 'small people'.

If gucci sold gas for $90.00 a litre and some 'small people' guy down the street sold gas for $1.25 a litre but the cheap gas got you 2 k/ph less on the speedometer, what gas would you get?
If the exhaust pipe said 'gucci' in smoke writing from both of these guy's gas, what gas would you get?

Ah never mind, I am tired, you guys figure it out.

Have fun burnin' up that ole gucci gas and let everybody know it with your sky writing. Everyone will think you are driving a Rolls Royce. So stick out your chest, walk with your arms out a bit from your torso, chin up and let wearing a label make you feel better about yourself, because dammit, you ARE better! (the label indicates such, wether you paid a lot, or not a lot)

The Chinese drywall has a corrosion problem not mildew. The mildew was simply the fact of it being shipped. The corrosion problem is in the make up of the drywall eating metal. Electrical outlets, Air returns, Fasteners holding it to the wall and ceiling, Foil backed Insulation for moister barriers, Copper pipes for plumbing. And anything else that was metal. And when ever it gets wet it smells of rotten eggs and the smell will never go away until the drywall is removed.

The dog food problem killed millions of dogs and cats.

I remember the toothpaste Aquafresh. They recalled it and the stores returned the items for refunds and it simply got shipped to South America and resold. So when they do get caught there is no real loss on there part. I know they say they killed the dog food guy. But they never said who he was so how can they expect some one to believe they killed him over it?

And it is strange to see the glossing over being done in the post on this thread.