Handbags, books, baby formula, shampoo, auto and aircraft parts, pharamceuticals, electrical cords, audio CDs … the list of counterfeit goods goes on and on …

Knockoff designer goods and other fake products not only cost the city millions of dollars, but may also fund terrorism. Helping to bust these counterfeit rings is an army of “secret shoppers.”

“Spies Like Us,” by Jane Borden, Photographs by Timothy Fadek, Time Out NY, August 12-19, 2004

In 1872, inventor Elijah McCoy patented a lubricating system designed to prevent overheating and seizing on steam engines. His lubricators worked extremely well, saving the shipping lines and railroads lots of money. The success and popularity of McCoy’s device soon brought many copies, which cost far less but didn’t work nearly as well. These fakes created costly problems for purchasers, who believed they were saving money. Those who wanted to use a genuine product to ensure quality and dependability asked for McCoy’s product by name. Thus was born the phrase “the real McCoy.”

“Counterfeit Parts: A Poor Fit for Your Shop,” by Tom Nash, MOTOR, January 2004

More Information

• International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition – White Paper: “The Negative Consequences of Intellecual Property Theft,” January 2005 (40-page pdf)
• “Counterfeiting Costs NYC More Than $1 Billion Annually: New York City is home to $23 billion counterfeiting trade,” Press Release, New York City Office of the Comptroller, November 22, 2004 … “Bootleg Billions: The Impact of the Counterfeit Goods Trade on New York City,” (14-page pdf)
• “They Sell No Fake Before Its Time; On the Streets, Genuine Copies (And a Few Originals),” by Tracie Rozhon and Rachel Thorner, NYT, May 26, 2005 (abstract only)
• “Anti-Counterfeiting efforts protect UL mark integrity,” Wiretalk, Spring 2004 (electrical cords)
• “Cracking Down on Intellectual Property Crime,” by Douglas Schweitzer, Computerworld, July 4, 2005
• “$2 Million Counterfeit Purse Fence Busted; Fashionistas Weep,” by Jen Chung, gothamist, December 3, 2003
• “Counterfeit Merchandise Seized in New York City, Part 5 of Fake Designer Bags,” by Karen Little, LittleViews, June 30, 2005
• “France, Home of Luxe, Wages War on Fakes,” by Laurence Frost, NY Post, August 9, 2005
• “Chinese pirates hawk Potter translations,” AP in USA Today, July 31, 2005
• “Counterfeit Pesticide Products for Dogs and Cats,” EPA Fact Sheet (flea and tick treatments)