Consumerist: counterfeits

Target Pays $3.1 Million For Falsely Accusing Customer, Via Bulk Email, Of Passing Funny Money

Ben Popken — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:19:15 EDT

A jury awarded Rita Cantrell $100,000 in actual damage and hit Target with $3 million in punitive damages after a Target employee sent a group email falsely accusing her of passing counterfeit bills. Rita was trying to buy stuff with a 1974 $100 bill which the store employees didn't recognize and thought was a fake. A loss-prevention employee then sent around a group email containing her picture and the false allegation to 31 different local, state and federal law enforcement offices, malls, department stores, home-improvement stores and grocery stores. The email result in the Secret Service interrogating Rita at her work place, but they were able to check out the bill and determine it was genuine. "Every aspect of Rita’s life was harmed by Target," said Cantrell's attorney.

Jury orders Target to pay $3 million in civil case [Greenville Online] (Thanks to Philip!) (Photo: maliavale)

Netflix's Statement On "Are These Netflix DVDs Legit?"

Ben Popken — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:58:25 EDT

After seeing our post where a reader raised concerns about whether Netflix DVDs he got with unofficial-looking labels and messed-up menus were counterfeit, Netflix's VP of Corporate Communications, Steve Swasey, sent us the following lovenote to calm our fears:

Netflix rents only studio or filmmaker authorized DVDs – no copies. Netflix has more than 100,000 titles on DVD available for rental, so labeling takes many forms. DVDs marked “for sale only” were purchased legally and legitimately by Netflix for rental to Netflix members. And yes, each DVD is individually inspected before it’s shipped.

Netflix ships 1.9 million DVDs on a typical day out of more than 50 distribution centers across the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii). Occasionally an error occurs and a Netflix member receives the wrong title or a scratched disc. But the probability of a Netflix member receiving a copied disc is very slight. Four copied discs, even less.

Netflix is the #1 rated ecommerce site for customer satisfaction by Nielsen Online and ForeSee Results because of the outstanding convenience, selection and value available to 8.2 million Netflix members. Concerns such as those raised by The Consumerist are extremely rare. But something we’re looking into nonetheless.

Thank you.

PREVIOUSLY: Are These Netflix DVDs Legit?

Are These Netflix DVDs Legit?

Jay Slatkin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:14:17 EDT

There are few companies that we love more than Netflix. Usually their service and support are top-notch among DVD renters. However, Consumerist Forums reader "muffinman" has a concern. He has been receiving what he believes are counterfeit DVDs and has some compelling photo evidence. Please help us crack the case and tell us what you think. His letter and pictures inside...

Hey everybody, I know Netflix is usually pretty cool about problems but today I received a couple discs and for the fourth time now- they're copies. Not even good ones. I called them once again and was 'personally' assured that 'human eyes check every disc that comes back' and that they could not be fakes. Its easy to spot them, the labels are wrong, usually obviously home-made, the menus work incorrectly, etc.. they're shoddy
Here's the brief history of the 4 incidents:
"Bleach" discs 6 & 7 -Early Feb- Netflix apologized, sent me a bonus disc. That's right, ONE bonus disc for two horked ones.

"Full Metal Alchemist" discs 2, 3, 4- End of Feb - Netflix guy questions how i could know if a disc is fake. I offer to send pictures, he says that's not possible. Apologizes and sends bonus disc.

"Full Metal Alchemist" disc 6 - Mid March - This one is from the same batch of fakes as the last. Netflix again questions how I could possibly know its fake. Offer to send pictures of this one, again told no and offered replacement disc.

"Bones" discs 3 & 4 - 4/26/08 - I'm willing to admit i might be wrong on these. If i'm right, these fakes are less obvious but the episodes don't match up. Says 7-10 but its actually 6-9. Even better, Netflix has taken the actual Bones discs which are two-sided, and given me maybe-bootlegs that are one-sided. So, for example, the real disc 2 has episodes 7-10 on side A & 11-12 on side B. But these are one-siders they sent me, so (even if they are not "fakes") i still had to waste a disc just to get the WHOLE one. Shady at best, Netflix.!

Here is a "Bones" season 1, disc 3 DVD. Muffinman says it has a paper label. If it is a Netflix split disc should it say Netflix on it?

Here is a genuine "Bones" disc 2 from Blockbuster. Note the only writing is in the center of the disc. (below)

Left: A genuine "Full Metal Alchemist" disc 3. Right: Suspected fake "Full Metal Alchemist" disc 2. Both are from Netflix. (below)

Muffinman also says the play surfaces look normal and silver to him, not purple colored. We aren't familiar with Netflix' policy on splitting out double discs and whether they should be marked with a Netflix logo is unclear. We have never heard of paper labels being used in any professional application. What say you, Consumerists? Are these discs legit?

Netflix sending bootlegs? [Consumerist Forums]

$25 Million Counterfeit Goods Ring Busted In NY-NJ

Chris Walters — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:16:14 EDT

If you live in the NYC area, one thing you probably won't be spending your stimulus check on now is a pair of shiny new fake Nikes—or ersatz Louis Vuittons, packs of imitation Duracell batteries, or faux-Timberland boots. Police raided three warehouses in Long Island, Queens, and New Jersey yesterday and seized $25 million worth of counterfeit goods (including 20,000 Nike knock-offs) that they suspect were imported from China, as well as "printing and other equipment used to make and stamp fake logos on the items."

The authorities said they believed the goods were sold at flea markets, street fairs and other places in the region. They added that they were still investigating the operation, which they said they believed had links to China. The police said they seized records of money transferred to banks in China.

"Police Seize Fake Goods Worth Millions" [The New York Times] (Photo: Tet_Sy)

Avoid Counterfeit Check Scams

Ben Popken — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 15:33:10 EST

Unwitting consumers are falling for a new twist on the old "advance fee scam." In this variation, a consumer receives what looks like a legitimate check in the mail, either as "foreign lottery proceeds," "prize money," or even payment for goods via classifieds (which includes Craigslist and eBay).

The scammer requests that you send back a portion to pay for fees or handling charges, or says they "overpaid" and need you to pay back the difference. The check clears when deposited in the bank. A few days later, the check bounces and the thief has got whatever the rube sent them.

The FTC advises:

• Don't wire money to strangers.
• Throw away offers that ask you to send back money for your "free" gift.
• Only accept checks from people you trust.

— BEN POPKEN

FTC Advice on Giving the Bounce to Counterfeit Check Scams
Giving the Bounce to Counterfeit Check Scams

Target Agrees To Stop Selling "Coach" Bags

Meg Marco — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:22:11 EDT

Today, Coach dropped a trademark infringement suit alleging Target sold counterfeit versions of a popular purse, the Python Signature Striped Demi.

The bags were first discovered at a Target store in Largo, FL. It's not clear whether they were sold at any other Targets.

Coach dropped the suit because Target agreed to stop selling fakes. For its part, Target maintained that the purses were real and it bought them at, "a major department store liquidation sale."

...Marshall...::Cough::...Field's...::Cough::...

If you bought a Coach bag at Target, you can easily verify its authenticity. Look for a unique serial number stamped inside and call Coach at 1-888-262-6224. Relay the number, the bag color and the retailer and they will tell you if the bag is legit. You can also look for distinctive Coach characteristics, but that will require using critical thinking and powers of observation.

No, Really, WaMu Gave Out Counterfeit $100s

Ben Popken — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 18:02:43 EDT

Despite the horde of commenters asserting he got slipped fake $100s by an African Safari company, reader BC persists in laying the blame on WaMu.

After posting on The Consumerist, BC's wife reminds him that the tour operator only handed them back *two* of the three counterfeit $100s. The other Franklin was outside at the time, in a bag, in a Land Rover.

In the original comment, Papadopoulos said that having worked as a WaMu teller and ATM custodian, the ATMs are sometimes loaded with cash from the street.

Kustoo, also a former WaMu employee, agrees. After all, he got slipped fake $100s from WaMu. He says, "The truth is that unless you notice that the money is fake before you actually leave the bank, no bank is going to take responsibility."

BC writes, "I totally trusted the safari company... they were awesome, and it was just before the prime season, so it was a deeply discounted safari too. I mean, even if he had actually been who robbed me, it still would have been cheap."

He adds, "I'll go back to Africa, but I'll never step in a WaMu again."

Previously: "WaMu Gives Out Counterfeits, Doesn't Care"

WaMu Gives Out Counterfeits, Doesn't Care

Ben Popken — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 13:20:45 EDT

BC hit a hiccup on his African safari honeymoon. When he went to pay the adventure company with $100s his wife took out their WaMu bank in ATM, three of the Franklins turned out to be counterfeit.

Back stateside, the WaMu branch manager was unhelpful, claiming, "there was no way to prove" that the $100s came from WaMu and regardless, the cash, "comes straight from the Federal Reserve."

Uncle Sam may be well into his cups these days, but we're willing to put good money that the US Mint is not slipping in faked bills to banks.

Rightly, BC rightly closed his account. Though we understand the frustration that led him to it, he should have turboed his issue up the corporate ladder instead of giving up on the first lanky WaMu manager he encountered.

Washington Mutual wears its heart of darkness on its sleeve, in BC's letter, after the jump.

UPDATE: Limiter brings up a really good point in the comments... based on the timeline, the African safari could have slipped him the counterfeits too!

"Hey, if you're interested in another story about how Washington Mutual is the worst bank in the world, how about this one: they hand out fake bills and weasel out of refunding you.

I got married in May, and had only two days between coming back from the wedding and leaving on my honeymoon (Africa: safari and beach). The day before my wife and I left town, we both got a bunch of cash and travelers checks. She went to Washington Mutual, and got a bunch of hundreds; I went to Chase, and got checks and fifties.

Cut to a week later, when we attempt to pay for our excellent 5-day safari with a bunch of the American cash, which we had set aside. The safari company owner took our cash, gave it a funny kind of look, walked out of the room, came back and said "I'm sorry, but these bills are fake." And he pulled 3 $100 bills out of the bunch that were slightly off-color and of a subtly different paper weight. I've been stuck with a couple fake bills in my day — one time I had to go to three dark bars in a row to get rid of a photocopied $50 — but these were the best that I had ever seen. Three-color printing and decently crisp, slightly fabric-y paper. We were obviously surprised and flummoxed. We apologized, he apologized, I cashed some checks at the bureau d'exchange next door and all ended well. [Africa's full of counterfeit bills, apparently, and I don't think it's the first time they had seen this problem.] Next day, we contacted Washington Mutual through their website and let them know the problem, and they seemed considerate and helpful, if somewhat non-committal.

Now it's another week later, we're back from Africa and eager to get our money back. Probably not all of it, since one of the fake bills appeared to have been stolen from our hotel room in the interim, but at least we'd like to get a refund on the 2 fakes that we still have. [It's tempting to say "Joke's on you" to the thief/ves, but as I noted, fake bills are everywhere in Africa, so I'm guessing that they were used w/o problem).

So we head to the Washington Mutual on 13th and Broadway [NYC], where my wife got her bad bills, and ask for the manager. This young kid comes up, and after hearing our problem immediately starts berating us. "Oh, these are so fake," he says, "they're obviously fake, we can't refund these. These are the worst I've ever seen."

If they're so fake, we ask, what the hell were they doing in your bank?

After protesting that there's no way that we can prove they came from his bank, we inform him that, in fact, we basically can, since there were no other big bills in our possession except for my fifties. So after a few minutes, he relents, and says "We don't check the bills, they come directly from the Federal Reserve," and he points to the WaMu Cash Dispenser in the middle of the room. "We don't do anything with the bills, they just come to us and we put them in the machine." [For those who don't know - when you get money from a WaMu branch, the tellers don't actually hand you the cash, they give you a receipt and then you go to the Cash Dispenser to get your scratch.]

And then he says that perhaps if we had found them on the day of the withdrawal, we could have gotten our money back, but the scorn in his voice betrays that this is obviously a lie — his way of ducking behind the bank's regulations and ending the conversation. So we leave and pledge to get out of WaMu for good. [I had hated them for a long time due to their awful customer service, their love of dropping random fees on me, and their incredibly long check-cashing hangtime, but this converted my wife to a hater, she had never had a problem with them.]

Now, because you have to go to your primary bank to make changes [which I assumed includes closing the account], and I no longer live anywhere near there, it takes me a while to close out, but I've pulled all my cash and automatic bills from there in the meantime. So it's a long empty account by the time I finally make it to the Grand and Graham branch in Brooklyn [BTW, at one time I believe this was the 2nd or 3rd most robbed bank in the entire city of New York.]

Closing the account was easy. Incredibly, remarkably, suspiciously easy. Not one but two people asked my reason for leaving WaMu, and I told them both the truth. "My wife got fake bills." Not a single eye was batted! They just pointed me to the right line, and processed my my request w/o further question or concern. Which led me to believe — they'd heard this all before, and they couldn't give a shit.

So, to sum up: Washington Mutual is run by uncaring, snarky children, they offer *no assurances* that the money you get will be legit, and if it isn't, you will not get any reparation.

Guess I now know the real price of all those free checking accounts. I mean, can it really be true that there are banks operating today that can't and won't vouch for their own cash? I used to bank with Bank of New York, or as it's known outside of Manhattan, "the Russian Mafia," and they were bad — but they never pulled this sort of crap. I mean, seriously — does WaMu use those Cash Dispenser machines solely to avoid personal or institutional responsibility for their own cash?"