With the arrival of AI systems and the evolution of technology, litigation targeting counterfeit products is on the rise. Counterfeiting has become one of the largest illicit industries in the world with counterfeit goods infiltrating global trade affecting the full spectrum of manufactured goods – from apparel and cosmetics to pharmaceuticals and electronics. The growth of e-commerce platforms, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, has further empowered counterfeiters, allowing them to pose as legitimate sellers and providing them with more access to more consumers.
The cost of counterfeiting to manufacturers can be staggering, not just by misappropriating their valuable intellectual property, but also by causing harm to their brands that can lead to declines in sales as well as reputational harm. Counterfeiters also leave legitimate businesses to deal with the fallout from counterfeits, which require significant investments in both time and money.
BSF has worked with countless manufacturers and retailers to combat the proliferation of counterfeit products and has successfully brought litigation to freeze the funds of counterfeiters and recover large compensatory fees.