AWA’S 10 EVILS OF COUNTERFEIT WATCHES
In an effort to raise consumer awareness of the problem of
counterfeit watches, the Washington, D.C.-based American
Watch Association has issued the following warning about
counterfeits.
1. Counterfeits fund organized crime and terrorism.
U.S. Customs reports that the sale of counterfeit products
funnels billions of dollars to organized crime groups.
Increasingly, evidence shows that terrorist groups in the Middle
East and elsewhere rely on sales of counterfeits to fund their
criminal activities. People who buy counterfeit watches risk
funding these activities.
2. Counterfeit watches can pose a hazard to consumers.
Legitimate watch companies observe U.S. laws that regulate the
use of lead, cadmium, mercury and other toxic materials in
consumer products. Counterfeiters don’t have to. As a result,
counterfeit watches may contain lead or cadmium paint that, if
ingested, could harm children. Authentic watch products don’t
pose this threat.
3. Counterfeits hurt American jobs.
The International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC) estimates
that counterfeiting costs U.S. businesses $200 billion to $250
billion each year. That results in the loss of more than 750,000
American jobs. Instead, counterfeiters operate for the most part
overseas in third-world countries where they can use children
laboring in sweatshops at the lowest possible wages. Counterfeit
watches are often sold via foreign-based websites using no
American employees. Buy a counterfeit and put a U.S. worker
out of a job.
4. Consumers get no warranty of protection when they buy
a counterfeit watch.
Counterfeit watches don’t come with a warranty and authorized
watch repairers won’t service them. Buying a fake is a bad
gamble.
5. Consumers can be fooled by counterfeits.
Consumers who buy a luxury brand-name watch for $50
probably know they are purchasing a fake. But many counterfeits
sell for hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. Consumers
who buy these watches probably think they are getting the real
deal. When the watch fails and they can’t get proper service,
they are the ultimate victim.
6. Counterfeit watches can be dangerous.
Accurate time can be a matter of life or death to some consumers.
Scuba divers and mountain climbers, for example, or people with
certain medical conditions, depend on precise timekeeping to
avoid harm. Counterfeit watches may not be dependable and may
put consumers in danger.
7. Counterfeiting is a growing threat to the American economy.
IACC reports that the global trade in illegitimate goods has grown
from $5.5 billion in 1982 to approximately $600 billion annually.
Because it’s based offshore, that increase hurts the United States
and helps China and other countries where the fakes are made.
8. Theft of U.S. intellectual property is a serious economic crime.
Not only is counterfeiting a serious crime, it robs U.S. companies of
their investments in their trademarks, their research and design,
their employees, and their advertising/ marketing programs.
Counterfeiters hurt U.S. companies’ ability to afford these investments,
and hurt the American economy as a result.
9. Counterfeits can put U.S. retail stores out of business.
Counterfeit watches are mainly bought online from foreign websites.
That’s an important reason why so many American retailers
have had to lay off sales clerks and even go out of business. Fakes
do damage at every level: watch companies, retailers and
consumers themselves.
10. Counterfeiting is a crime.
It is a felony to traffic in counterfeit watches. Don’t enable criminal
activity. Don’t buy a counterfeit watch.
Source: American Watch Association
In an effort to raise consumer awareness of the problem of
counterfeit watches, the Washington, D.C.-based American
Watch Association has issued the following warning about
counterfeits.
1. Counterfeits fund organized crime and terrorism.
U.S. Customs reports that the sale of counterfeit products
funnels billions of dollars to organized crime groups.
Increasingly, evidence shows that terrorist groups in the Middle
East and elsewhere rely on sales of counterfeits to fund their
criminal activities. People who buy counterfeit watches risk
funding these activities.
2. Counterfeit watches can pose a hazard to consumers.
Legitimate watch companies observe U.S. laws that regulate the
use of lead, cadmium, mercury and other toxic materials in
consumer products. Counterfeiters don’t have to. As a result,
counterfeit watches may contain lead or cadmium paint that, if
ingested, could harm children. Authentic watch products don’t
pose this threat.
3. Counterfeits hurt American jobs.
The International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC) estimates
that counterfeiting costs U.S. businesses $200 billion to $250
billion each year. That results in the loss of more than 750,000
American jobs. Instead, counterfeiters operate for the most part
overseas in third-world countries where they can use children
laboring in sweatshops at the lowest possible wages. Counterfeit
watches are often sold via foreign-based websites using no
American employees. Buy a counterfeit and put a U.S. worker
out of a job.
4. Consumers get no warranty of protection when they buy
a counterfeit watch.
Counterfeit watches don’t come with a warranty and authorized
watch repairers won’t service them. Buying a fake is a bad
gamble.
5. Consumers can be fooled by counterfeits.
Consumers who buy a luxury brand-name watch for $50
probably know they are purchasing a fake. But many counterfeits
sell for hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. Consumers
who buy these watches probably think they are getting the real
deal. When the watch fails and they can’t get proper service,
they are the ultimate victim.
6. Counterfeit watches can be dangerous.
Accurate time can be a matter of life or death to some consumers.
Scuba divers and mountain climbers, for example, or people with
certain medical conditions, depend on precise timekeeping to
avoid harm. Counterfeit watches may not be dependable and may
put consumers in danger.
7. Counterfeiting is a growing threat to the American economy.
IACC reports that the global trade in illegitimate goods has grown
from $5.5 billion in 1982 to approximately $600 billion annually.
Because it’s based offshore, that increase hurts the United States
and helps China and other countries where the fakes are made.
8. Theft of U.S. intellectual property is a serious economic crime.
Not only is counterfeiting a serious crime, it robs U.S. companies of
their investments in their trademarks, their research and design,
their employees, and their advertising/ marketing programs.
Counterfeiters hurt U.S. companies’ ability to afford these investments,
and hurt the American economy as a result.
9. Counterfeits can put U.S. retail stores out of business.
Counterfeit watches are mainly bought online from foreign websites.
That’s an important reason why so many American retailers
have had to lay off sales clerks and even go out of business. Fakes
do damage at every level: watch companies, retailers and
consumers themselves.
10. Counterfeiting is a crime.
It is a felony to traffic in counterfeit watches. Don’t enable criminal
activity. Don’t buy a counterfeit watch.
Source: American Watch Association
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