Fake security codes become accomplices in the “realization” of counterfeit goods

In order to avoid buying fakes, many customers often check the anti-counterfeiting code on the product to identify the authenticity after receiving the product. Can the anti-counterfeiting code really prevent the purchase of fakes?

Recently, a reporter from the Beijing News found that in order to make a profit, some anti-counterfeiting code production companies not only fail to verify the customers' business licenses, organization codes and tax registration certificates as required, but even charge money to produce fake anti-counterfeiting codes and build fake anti-counterfeiting code query websites, which become a way for counterfeit goods to be "legitimized."

In this regard, some experts said that on the basis of accelerating relevant legislation, the industry supervision should be strengthened. Some industry insiders suggested that in order to standardize anti-counterfeiting inquiries, the relevant management departments could establish a unified national anti-counterfeiting inquiry website.

During this year's Double Eleven, Yang Li (pseudonym) bought three bottles of common brand cosmetics online, but as soon as she received the goods and opened the packaging, she found something wrong.

"The packaging is very poor, different from what you usually buy at shopping mall counters." Suspicious Yang Li found that there was an anti-counterfeiting code on the cosmetics box, so she scraped off the coating and checked according to the query website on the packaging box. The website showed that the three bottles of cosmetics were "authentic", but when she entered the anti-counterfeiting number on the brand's official website, it showed that there was no information about the product.

After calling the brand’s customer service number, Yang Li was told that the product she purchased was likely a fake.

For counterfeit security codes, please visit the website

Yang Li’s experience is not an isolated case. Ms. Wei also encountered a similar situation when buying a bag.

"There is an anti-counterfeiting code on the tag of the handbag. Scanning the QR code above to enter the query website shows that the handbag is authentic." Ms. Wei said that when she checked the brand's official website, she did not find any relevant information about the handbag.

Why is it that even with the anti-counterfeiting code, the product still cannot be guaranteed to be authentic? Ms. Wei was told by her friend that the problem lies with the anti-counterfeiting code and the query website: the anti-counterfeiting code production company can help to make fake anti-counterfeiting codes and upload the relevant information to its own query website, making customers believe it. Also, the QR code on the fake label can be scanned directly to the official website of the genuine product, giving the illusion that the product is genuine.

Entering "anti-counterfeiting code production" on the search engine will display hundreds of anti-counterfeiting code production companies.

On December 3, a Beijing News reporter contacted one of the companies in the name of customizing anti-counterfeiting codes. Zhang Ying (pseudonym), a staff member of the company, said that their company can produce three types of anti-counterfeiting codes. The first type is coated, and after scratching it, there is a string of anti-counterfeiting digital codes, which can be checked by phone or through the company's query website to find relevant product information; the second type is a more advanced anti-counterfeiting technology, this anti-counterfeiting code can only be scanned and checked once, and then it will become an invalid code; the third type looks the same as the first type, but it cannot be queried on the website, "It's just for show, and no information will be uploaded to the website."

Zhang Ying also showed his company's own anti-counterfeiting code query website. This website looks very formal, and the website name also starts with the word "China". Zhang Ying said that this will look more authoritative.

Another company's business is similar. The company's staff said that if genuine manufacturers ask them to make anti-counterfeiting codes, not only can the product information be found on the company's query website, but a query port can also be embedded on the manufacturer's official website to link to the company's website for related product information.

"Generally, legitimate manufacturers will require a query port to be embedded on the official website." The staff member said that many counterfeiters will find anti-counterfeiting code companies to imitate anti-counterfeiting codes in order to make customers believe that they are genuine, and provide query services on the anti-counterfeiting code company's query website. "The only way to distinguish the real from the fake is to check on the official website."

“We can make fake security codes at a reasonable price”

Why can fake goods also have anti-counterfeiting codes? Don’t the code-making companies check their qualifications?

The "Product Anti-Counterfeiting Supervision and Management Measures" clearly states that anti-counterfeiting technology manufacturers shall not produce or accept commissions from others to produce counterfeit anti-counterfeiting technology products. When providing anti-counterfeiting code services to customers, anti-counterfeiting code manufacturing companies must check the relevant certification materials provided by the client, including a copy of the company's business license, product name, model, and the inspection report of the product by a quality inspection agency recognized by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. If a trademark or quality mark with an anti-counterfeiting mark is printed, a trademark holding certificate and a quality mark certification certificate shall be issued.

Zhang Ying said that if you make an anti-counterfeiting code that can be queried, you need to provide copies of the "three certificates" and a letter of authorization according to regulations, namely the product company's business license, organization code and tax registration certificate, and then sign a letter of authorization with them. "Each copy needs to be stamped with the company's official seal."

After the reporter clearly stated that he had no three certificates, Zhang Ying said that she could not make an anti-counterfeiting code. But when the reporter said that he could provide a fake certificate and the price was slightly higher, Zhang Ying agreed to make an anti-counterfeiting code and faxed a letter of authorization for the production of the anti-counterfeiting code, asking the reporter to fill it out, stamp it with the official seal and send it back to her.

On this letter of authorization, the principal needs to clearly state "We guarantee that the network-connected enterprises and products have complete procedures and operate legally. If any behavior that does not comply with the law occurs, we are willing to bear all responsibilities."

Zhang Ying said that they do not verify the authenticity of customer information, nor do they track whether the anti-counterfeiting code is affixed to counterfeit goods. "We just make the anti-counterfeiting code and upload the relevant information to the query website."

Several companies claim to be able to do this. On December 5, a Beijing News reporter contacted another anti-counterfeiting code production company under the same name. When the reporter clearly stated that he wanted to imitate the anti-counterfeiting code of a certain brand-name product, the person in charge of the company said that it could be produced.

The person in charge said that in a formal cooperation, three certificates and a power of attorney are required. "If you want to do this kind of thing, I don't even want the three certificates. It's meaningless to ask for them." "As long as the price is right, I can do it for you." "Normally, it's 60 to 70 cents per label, and 10 cents for a fake anti-counterfeiting code. If you do a lot, you can get a discount."

Individuals can purchase anti-counterfeiting production systems

During the investigation, the reporter learned that not only can anti-counterfeiting codes be forged by commissioned code-making companies, but individuals can even purchase the entire anti-counterfeiting system and imitate the anti-counterfeiting codes at will.

On December 6, a Beijing News reporter contacted a company that produces anti-counterfeiting codes. The company claimed to be "top professional" and said they could sell the entire anti-counterfeiting code system.

This system includes an anti-counterfeiting code generation system, a query system and an anti-counterfeiting code production machine. "You just need to find some technicians to make a query website," said a staff member of the company.

If you want to buy the machine, you need to provide three certificates and sign an agreement with the company, just like making the anti-counterfeiting code program. But if the buyer's price is right, the "three certificates" and the like can be omitted.

The staff member said that the establishment of an anti-counterfeiting code query website does not require approval from government departments, and all companies can do is input some product data. And there are also counterfeiters who have people create fake official websites based on the appearance of the product official website, making it difficult for customers to distinguish the authenticity.

Song Mei (pseudonym), a self-employed person who does purchasing of branded cosmetics, said that there are many fake products with anti-counterfeiting codes on the purchasing market. "We who do purchasing on behalf of others know that these things are actually produced in some small factories."

Most of the fake products with fake anti-counterfeiting codes are cosmetics and alcoholic beverages. "These products are profitable, but if you imitate beverages, the profit is not much."

“Anti-counterfeiting query websites should be uniformly supervised”

Regarding the chaos in the anti-counterfeiting code market, a staff member of the Beijing Municipal Administration for Industry and Commerce said that the anti-counterfeiting code is a personal behavior of the company and is only used by the company itself for anti-counterfeiting. When the Industrial and Commercial Bureau is fighting counterfeiting, it does not rely on these anti-counterfeiting codes to distinguish the authenticity.

A staff member of Beijing Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau said that if some anti-counterfeiting code companies forge genuine anti-counterfeiting codes, they will report it to the person in charge and inspect these companies.

In fact, the supervision of anti-counterfeiting code companies is still in the legislative stage. According to media reports, the National Anti-Counterfeiting Office is currently working on the legislation of the "Product Anti-Counterfeiting Supervision and Management Regulations". At a legislative expert symposium, some experts said that the forms of counterfeiting have evolved from product counterfeiting to all-round counterfeiting, and it is necessary to do a good job in product anti-counterfeiting legislation as soon as possible.

"The management of anti-counterfeiting technology applications should be strengthened," experts said. Relevant departments should increase information management of anti-counterfeiting companies and companies that use anti-counterfeiting products, and increase penalties for illegal and irregular behaviors, "to maintain the integrity of anti-counterfeiting itself."

Regarding the confusion on anti-counterfeiting code query websites, Ms. Yuan, a relevant person in charge of a governing unit of the Beijing Anti-Counterfeiting Technology Association, said that due to legislative and regulatory issues, various query websites are operating without qualifications, which makes it easy for them to become accomplices of counterfeiters in selling fakes and deceive customers.

"Some large companies hired unqualified companies to do anti-counterfeiting, and ended up suffering losses themselves." Ms. Yuan said that if a large-scale crackdown on counterfeit goods is carried out nationwide, a number of unqualified anti-counterfeiting companies will be exposed.

Another person in charge of the company introduced that his company once provided anti-counterfeiting services for a well-known cosmetics company. "A person who made counterfeit goods came to us and wanted to buy the anti-counterfeiting label of this brand. The anti-counterfeiting label originally cost only a few cents, but he was willing to pay 8 yuan."

Regarding how to regulate the domestic anti-counterfeiting market, Ms. Yuan said that in addition to legislating as soon as possible and strengthening supervision, she also suggested that relevant departments establish a nationwide unified anti-counterfeiting query platform, which will be operated by the official.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.