Need for Stronger Solutions Underscored by eBay Counterfeit Ruling in France; US Decision Imminent

Gloucestershire, UK, July 3, 2008 – In light of the recent legal ruling in France resulting in a £31 ($63) million fine against eBay for selling counterfeit luxury goods, the global issue of product authenticity among online auction sites has been brought sharply into focus. Cybercrime and "e–fencing" are serious issues, costing consumers an estimated £2 ($4) billion annually. A judge in the US is due to rule at anytime on a similar case brought by Tiffany.

This threat was identified eight years ago by the founders of CheckMEND.com, an online property authentication service, who have compiled what is now the world’s largest database of counterfeit and stolen goods with more than 100 million records.  A simple online search (or ‘check’) allows auction sites, consumers and manufacturers to validate the authenticity of a product for just a couple of pounds.

Adrian Portlock, founder and CEO of CheckMEND, has been in the business of identifying dubious goods sold online for nearly a decade and is an expert in this area, having worked extensively with law enforcement and government organisations. He said, “If you strip away the smoke and mirrors, this is a simple argument about whether online auction sites should be pro-active in policing the property being sold on their sites, and this issue is not going to go away. No system is ever going to be perfect at identifying all questionable items, but you have to start somewhere. CheckMEND is the most comprehensive system of its type, recommended by eBay in the UK when buying a mobile phone.”

A short demo of the CheckMEND system can be viewed at www.checkmend.com.