Customs and Consumer Ombuds warns against online pirate websites

online, hand writingOnline.Photo: Pixabay

Almost half of Norwegians will buy Christmas presents online this year. Customs, Consumer Ombudsman and the Patent Office warn against the purchase of counterfeit goods.

 

“Unfortunately, many of the shops sell copies of well-known brands, even though the webpages look serious and professional,” they write in a press release.

Authorities will inform consumers who purchase those copied items online; from toys and clothing to cosmetics and medication can be harmful to health. Therefore, thousands of mail packages will get stickers with information about the risk of buying copies/knock offs..

“It does matter what the cream that we put on our skin contains, what the toys are made of that child is going to play with or whether that electrical product complies with safety standards,” says Hedvig Bengston, Senior Advisor to the Patent Office.

She points out that many people are surprised when they find out what kinds of the forces stand behind many of the online piracy activities.

“Europol and various UN agencies have documented clear links with criminal networks that also deal with drug trafficking, money laundering and human trafficking,” continues Bengtson.

In order to avoid piracy, Consumer Ombudsman Elisabeth Lier Haugseth recommends consumers to investigate the stores they are buying from can be trusted.

– “Look for contact information, check their URLs and read other people’s experiences,” she says.

 

NTB Scanpix / Norway Today