(Last Updated On: March 25, 2022)

SCARSSCARS SCARS - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. A government registered crime victims' assistance & crime prevention nonprofit organization based in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. SCARS supports the victims of scams worldwide and through its partners in more than 60 countries around the world. Incorporated in 2015, its team has 30 years of continuous experience educating and supporting scam victims. Visit www.AgainstScams.org to learn more about SCARS.™ Crime Prevention Campaign: Avoid Fakes!

All scamScam A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. victims know about Fakes! Especially romance scam victims!

Impersonations are a central part of the African / Indian scammerScammer A Scammer or Fraudster is someone that engages in deception to obtain money or achieve another objective. They are criminals that attempt to deceive a victim into sending more or performing some other activity that benefits the scammer. tool kit. But did you think about the other kinds of fake that you get scammed by all the time?

YOU’RE SMART. BUY SMART.

Don’t fall for fake products. Buy the brand and keep it real.

The United States Patent & Trademark Office and the National Crime Prevention Council are working together to raise public awareness about the importance of intellectual property and to decrease demand for counterfeit goods in the United States.

SCARS is a proud member of the NCPA – a part of the National Crime Prevention Council

This public education campaign is aimed at tweens and teens up to adults and will tie in the intellectual property community and law enforcement together to combat this scourge.

THE PROBLEM WITH FAKES

Counterfeits aren’t generic brands. They’re cheap imitations of brands we trust. In addition to funding criminalCriminal A criminal is any person who through a decision or act engages in a crime. This can be complicated, as many people break laws unknowingly, however, in our context, it is a person who makes a decision to engage in unlawful acts or to place themselves with others who do this. A criminal always has the ability to decide not to break the law, or if they initially engage in crime to stop doing it, but instead continues. enterprises, counterfeit scamsScams A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. drain the economy, cost Americans real jobs, hurt businesses, and dupe consumers. As if that weren’t enough, certain fakes, such as faulty electronics, cause over 70 deaths and 350,000 serious injuries every year. …So why risk it? #GoForReal and buy from brands you trust.

DON’T BE A VICTIM …OR CRIMINAL

International organized criminals are turning to counterfeitingCounterfeiting Counterfeiting is defined as the planned attempt to duplicate a real and authentic article such as a symbol, trademark or even money with the purpose to distort and convince the purchaser or the recipient to believe that he or she is really purchasing or receiving the real article itself. In the ecommerce and financial services industry, this often refers to counterfeit cards and checks. to fund their other illegal activities like online fraudFraud In law, fraud is intentional deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain (money or other assets), or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Fraud can violate civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrator to avoid the fraud or recover monetary compensation) or criminal law (e.g., a fraud perpetrator may be prosecuted and imprisoned by governmental authorities), or it may cause no loss of money, property, or legal right but still be an element of another civil or criminal wrong. The purpose of fraud may be monetary gain or other benefits, for example by obtaining a passport, travel document, or driver's license, or mortgage fraud, where the perpetrator may attempt to qualify for a mortgage by way of false statements. A fraud can also be a hoax, which is a distinct concept that involves deliberate deception without the intention of gain or of materially damaging or depriving a victim.. gangGang A gang is normally a group or society of associated criminals with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over a territory or business practice in a community and engages, either individually or collectively, in illegal, and possibly violent, behavior. Online gangs are not limited by territory and may operate side by side with other gangs while engaging in crime online. Some members of criminal gangs are initiated (by going through a process of initiation), or have to prove their loyalty and right to belong by committing certain acts, usually theft or violence, or rituals. Gangs are usually rougher and more visible than scammer cartels, and more often arrested. violence, child labor, and human trafficking. The more you know, the less likely you are to support these criminals or get hurt by fake goods.

WHY DO SHOPPERS BUY FAKE?

Most people want to find the best deal shopping, especially when they can easily compare prices online. Little do they know, they could end up paying twice because of shoddy goods. They could even pay with their lives in the case of electrical fires if what they bought is counterfeit. Sanctioned brands are indicators of quality and reliability. When you buy real, you support the brands that invest in research and development to make quality goods. You might just save your own life.

FAKES CAUSE REAL HARM

From catching fire to causing skin rashes, fake products can cause real harm.

So How Can You Avoid Purchasing Counterfeit ProductsCounterfeit Products Counterfeit goods mimic original merchandise, right down to the trademarked logo, but are typically of inferior quality. This can be a life-threatening health or safety hazard when the counterfeit  item is medication or an auto part. And Contributing To Organized Crime, Gang Activity, And Other Criminal Activities?

If you believe that you’ve been duped into buying a counterfeit:

• Report it to the manufacturer of the legitimate product
• Contact your credit card company immediately to challenge the charge
• Report it to:
  • Your local law enforcement agency
  • The Better Business Bureau
  • National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center
  • U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (if safety is a concern)
  • StopFakes.gov, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Other sources of help and information include:

• Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, U.S. Department of Justice
• FBI, What We Investigate/Intellectual Property Theft
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Intellectual Property Rights
• Internet Crime Complaint Center
• Intellectual Property Task Force, U.S. Department of Justice
• National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center
• Trademark counterfeiting and consumer fraud related to the COVID-19 outbreak

 

LEARN MORE – UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITYDepartment of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department (under the President) responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terrorism, border security, immigration and customs, cybersecurity, and disaster prevention and management. REPORT

DHS_Combating-Trafficking_2020

 

 

 

TAGS: SCARS, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Scams, Scammers, Fraudsters, Cybercrime, Crybercriminals, Scam Victims, Fakes, Fake Products, Product Counterfeiting, Counterfeit Products, Buying Online, USPTO, NCRC

 

 

 

 

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