EBAY: Largest Counterfeiting Fraud Cracked AFTER Four-Years In Operation
storm888
Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
Everytime the T&S gang wants to harass me, they ask me
to fax them receipts for the items I am listing.
After all these years, I now see they are so stupid that I
could have just been making my own receipts.
...................................................................
From The Times September 23, 2009
Fake golf club scam 'cost eBay customers millions'
Adam Fresco, Crime Correspondent
(Paul Rogers/The Times)
Gary Bellchambers: admits fraud
A global network of criminals duped eBay customers into buying millions of pounds worth of fake golf clubs in the largest fraud uncovered by the online auction site.
The golf clubs, as well as clothing, accessories and passes for an airline lounge, were sold “on a scale that, it is believed, has never been seen before”, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told yesterday.
As soon as eBay received complaints and became suspicious of the activities, fake invoices were produced by the account holders to allay their worries or new accounts were opened.
Adam Davis, for the prosecution, said: “Nearly every major golf brand has been affected by the sale of counterfeit goods through the eBay accounts. It is the belief of the fraud investigation unit at eBay that this case represents the single largest counterfeiting conspiracy yet uncovered on their website.”
He added: “Over the course of about four years, between mid-2003 and early-2008, these defendants and their co-conspirators have been responsible for the sale and distribution of hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of pounds’ worth of counterfeit goods both here in the UK and abroad — primarily through the well-known auction website eBay.
“This is a conspiracy of a truly global nature. Conspirators are thought to have been based in the UK, Thailand, Australia, Germany, Singapore, USA, Hong Kong, China — and goods have been distributed from, or to, all those countries and more.”
In the British Isles conspirators were found in Wales, the Republic of Ireland, Aberdeen, Dorset and Birmingham, it was said. The counterfeit goods were manufactured in China then shipped to England.
The authorities were alerted when an elderly woman complained to trading standards officers after she had tried to get a refund on two golf clubs and had her letters of complaint ignored. She had written to Gary Bellchambers, who was said to be at “the very centre of this conspiracy” and who arranged the supply of and financed the counterfeit goods.
Mr Davis said that documentation found in Bellchambers’ possession showed “large sums of money being transferred between accounts held by Bellchambers both here in the UK and in Thailand”.
He said: “For example, in a 28-day period in November 2006, the sum of £73,000 was transferred.”
The court was told that Bellchambers and two others had admitted conspiring to sell or distribute golf clubs, clothing and accessories, bearing signs identical to, or likely to be mistaken for, registered trademarks.
Six other people in the dock, Roy Cottee and his wife, Kay Cottee, Mark Kent, Sharron Williams, Simon Eden and Helen Wilson, all deny that between December 2003 and March 2008 they conspired together and with others to sell or distribute the counterfeit items. Bellchambers also admitted two offences of unauthorised use of trademarks.
In addition, Roy and Kay Cottee deny one charge of conspiracy to defraud and one of conspiracy to sell or distribute goods bearing signs likely to be mistaken for registered trademarks, namely Qantas Cards. About 2,000 counterfeit Business Class Lounge invitation cards were seized from one property.
There are others involved, the Crown says, but proceedings have not been brought against them as they live abroad or there is insufficient information to identify them.
“But what is clear,” Mr Davis said, “is that others do exist and were involved. Those in the dock are the ones against whom the Crown is confident that the evidence shows with certainty that they are guilty of having conspired with at least one other member of this conspiracy to further its general objective — the sale and distribution of counterfeit golf clubs, clothing and accessories on a scale that, it is believed, has never before been seen.”
Mr Davis said that the legal proceedings followed an investigation by the London Borough of Havering, codenamed Operation Augusta after the famous US golf course, that had begun after the pensioner complained to Trading Standards.
The trial is expected to last three months.
30
Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
0
Comments
Welcome to the new "global economy".
Carol
I think in this case the reference to CHINA as a trading / economic entity is appropriate.
Whether discussing Wal-Mart or Russia as a manufactoring entity - it has no basis on who works their, but rather the reputation of the business within.
Aiming a salvo at Chinese industry is not maligning the charactor of Chinese people. However, it is a reflection of proactices within that particular nation.
<< <i>Carol,
I think in this case the reference to CHINA as a trading / economic entity is appropriate.
Whether discussing Wal-Mart or Russia as a manufactoring entity - it has no basis on who works their, but rather the reputation of the business within.
Aiming a salvo at Chinese industry is not maligning the charactor of Chinese people. However, it is a reflection of proactices within that particular nation. >>
...which you could also say happen in the US.
Bosox1976
<< <i>Gotta love that a cranky old lady fired the first shot... >>
are you pointing fingers at us cranky old people?
MULLINS5,1966CUDA,nam812,nightcrawler,OAKESY25,PowderedH2O,relaxed,RonBurgundy,samsgirl214,shagrotn77,swartz1,slantycouch,Statman,Wabittwax
<< <i>Carol,
I think in this case the reference to CHINA as a trading / economic entity is appropriate.
Whether discussing Wal-Mart or Russia as a manufactoring entity - it has no basis on who works their, but rather the reputation of the business within.
Aiming a salvo at Chinese industry is not maligning the charactor of Chinese people. However, it is a reflection of proactices within that particular nation. >>
I didn't say that it wasn't.
<< <i>I think you all are capable of discussing this topic without bashing a group of people based on nationality. Carol >>
Give me a break!
China is the worst perpetrator on the Planet for all types of bad manufacturing.
Besides all types of copyright infringements regarding the manufacturing of bogus goods of all types (i.e. knockoffs).
Let's not call it a "bashing based on nationality".
IMO, call it what it is, a country that continues to supply the world,
along with their "decent goods and services",
a tremendously long list of inferior goods of all types,
including continuous violations of international copyright and laws, regarding "knockoffs"
(i.e., as told via the example in that "ebay counterfeiting story").
Here in South Florida, during the housing boom over the past dozen years,
many of the major home-builders used drywall made in China.
Many of those new homes are now condemned due to "rot and mold"
and the most horrible smell that this Chinese drywall produces.
IMO, we need to "wake-up and see the hand writing on the wall".
As the Chinese manufacturing base
(along with the Chinese Government's ability to control their manufacturing base,
either deliberately or lack of enforcement ability, or both!)
and it seems there is no end to all the lies and deception
regarding the regulation of their manufacturing for export.
To me the "thousand year plan" still exists and is stronger than ever!
Carol, pleeeeeeze give me a "pass on China bashing", as "the love of my life" was Cantonese!
Just ask Dani's (my olde, old lady's) father,. He'd electrocute me if he ever had the chance.
He just hated Yankees period!
Seriously, I give China credit for their progress over the past 50 years,
but they (China) really needs to control the tremendous inadequacies
in their manufacturing quality control,
plus begin to honor all international laws and vigorously enforce those laws internally.
rd
Quicksilver Messenger Service - Smokestack Lightning (Live) 1968
Quicksilver Messenger Service - The Hat (Live) 1971
///////////////////////////
Making fun of a language-stereotype was likely the problem.
I am NOT a scolder, but there is a tendency among some folks
to think that it is OK to make fun of other folks immutable
characteristics, traits that cannot be changed.
In my view, it is not OK to be mean to folks over things they
are not capable of changing.
I like to beat up on strong and powerful folks, and I particularly
like to do so when they are crooks. Makling fun of crooks is good,
but determining that their ethnicity is a necessary element of
their conduct is usually not appropriate or accurate.
If American crooks could get 20-cent an hour labor to build
Calloway golf clubs, America would be the #1 exporter of
counterfeit stuff on the planet.
China's counterfeit crimes are an economic phenomenon and
really have nothing much at all to do with ethnic culture.
..................................................
DISCLAIMER:
There are a lot more non-white folks in my family than there
are white-folks. I can report that - anecdotally - the non-white
branches are much more pleasant and easier to deal with.
To paraphrase Norma Rae:
"I never had any trouble with Chinese folks. The only trouble I ever had in my life was with white folks."
<< <i>Edited To not say anything. Since apparently there are some super sensitive people in and around this site. >>
I think she was pointing her finger at you
But I found your comment hilarious
Always buying Bobby Cox inserts. PM me.
YOU LIE!!!---Sorry. didn't mean to go all racial on ya....
<< <i>Everytime the T&S gang wants to harass me, they ask me
to fax them receipts for the items I am listing.
After all these years, I now see they are so stupid that I
could have just been making my own receipts.
...................................................................
From The Times September 23, 2009
Fake golf club scam 'cost eBay customers millions'
Adam Fresco, Crime Correspondent
(Paul Rogers/The Times)
Gary Bellchambers: admits fraud
A global network of criminals duped eBay customers into buying millions of pounds worth of fake golf clubs in the largest fraud uncovered by the online auction site.
The golf clubs, as well as clothing, accessories and passes for an airline lounge, were sold “on a scale that, it is believed, has never been seen before”, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told yesterday.
As soon as eBay received complaints and became suspicious of the activities, fake invoices were produced by the account holders to allay their worries or new accounts were opened.
Adam Davis, for the prosecution, said: “Nearly every major golf brand has been affected by the sale of counterfeit goods through the eBay accounts. It is the belief of the fraud investigation unit at eBay that this case represents the single largest counterfeiting conspiracy yet uncovered on their website.”
He added: “Over the course of about four years, between mid-2003 and early-2008, these defendants and their co-conspirators have been responsible for the sale and distribution of hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of pounds’ worth of counterfeit goods both here in the UK and abroad — primarily through the well-known auction website eBay.
“This is a conspiracy of a truly global nature. Conspirators are thought to have been based in the UK, Thailand, Australia, Germany, Singapore, USA, Hong Kong, China — and goods have been distributed from, or to, all those countries and more.”
In the British Isles conspirators were found in Wales, the Republic of Ireland, Aberdeen, Dorset and Birmingham, it was said. The counterfeit goods were manufactured in China then shipped to England.
The authorities were alerted when an elderly woman complained to trading standards officers after she had tried to get a refund on two golf clubs and had her letters of complaint ignored. She had written to Gary Bellchambers, who was said to be at “the very centre of this conspiracy” and who arranged the supply of and financed the counterfeit goods.
Mr Davis said that documentation found in Bellchambers’ possession showed “large sums of money being transferred between accounts held by Bellchambers both here in the UK and in Thailand”.
He said: “For example, in a 28-day period in November 2006, the sum of £73,000 was transferred.”
The court was told that Bellchambers and two others had admitted conspiring to sell or distribute golf clubs, clothing and accessories, bearing signs identical to, or likely to be mistaken for, registered trademarks.
Six other people in the dock, Roy Cottee and his wife, Kay Cottee, Mark Kent, Sharron Williams, Simon Eden and Helen Wilson, all deny that between December 2003 and March 2008 they conspired together and with others to sell or distribute the counterfeit items. Bellchambers also admitted two offences of unauthorised use of trademarks.
In addition, Roy and Kay Cottee deny one charge of conspiracy to defraud and one of conspiracy to sell or distribute goods bearing signs likely to be mistaken for registered trademarks, namely Qantas Cards. About 2,000 counterfeit Business Class Lounge invitation cards were seized from one property.
There are others involved, the Crown says, but proceedings have not been brought against them as they live abroad or there is insufficient information to identify them.
“But what is clear,” Mr Davis said, “is that others do exist and were involved. Those in the dock are the ones against whom the Crown is confident that the evidence shows with certainty that they are guilty of having conspired with at least one other member of this conspiracy to further its general objective — the sale and distribution of counterfeit golf clubs, clothing and accessories on a scale that, it is believed, has never before been seen.”
Mr Davis said that the legal proceedings followed an investigation by the London Borough of Havering, codenamed Operation Augusta after the famous US golf course, that had begun after the pensioner complained to Trading Standards.
The trial is expected to last three months.
30 >>
An interesting article about ebay and counterfeit golf items but unfortunately the bigger picture is with all of China's money they now have and so they can afford the newest tooling technology and production machinery, and with a huge population, the fact is as things are going now, sooner or later they will be producing better products at cheaper prices on almost everything including golf items, and then what are we gonna do? - these trademarks will be worth the same as a Pontiac trademark.
Our country better wakeup and quit complaining about China, and get our arse in gear and do whatever it takes to compete with them headsup, and beat them......otherwise we lose.
///////////////////////////////////////
That may happen, but it will be a VERY long time from now.
Their problem with producing "quality" items has to do with
the cost of "quality" materials. They pay as much or more
for commodity-metals as USA mfgs do. The ONLY advantage
the Chi-Coms have is labor costs.
Most of the counterfeit clubs are sorta like movie props. They
fall apart REALLY FAST.
<< <i>"...sooner or later they will be producing better products at cheaper prices on almost everything including golf items..."
///////////////////////////////////////
That may happen, but it will be a VERY long time from now.
Their problem with producing "quality" items has to do with
the cost of "quality" materials. They pay as much or more
for commodity-metals as USA mfgs do. The ONLY advantage
the Chi-Coms have is labor costs.
Most of the counterfeit clubs are sorta like movie props. They
fall apart REALLY FAST. >>
Storm - I hope you're right...but I think it's important to remember how in the early part of the 1960's, "Made in Japan" was a signature for a cheap shoddy product, and "Made in Japan" now for many years when it comes to cameras, copiers, and many other electronic items is now often a signature for quality...and that happened by the 1970's...and China has much more money and manpower than Japan had in the 1960's.
They need to get their ebay standards up to ours.
I guess all of those TVs and electronics in your house must be crap as well since it is all made there.
I'm from Detroit, so I know how important it is to support a domestic mfg base. However the hypocrisy of the anti-China crowd when you look at their own buying habits makes me laugh.
//////////////////////////////////
I recall it first hand.
Folks used to make fun of "Made In Japan" stuff.
NOW, most of the good stuff I have was MIJ.
BUT, the economic system in Japan was TOTALLY
different than that of the Chi-Coms.
US and Euro companies might make some "quality"
headway in China, but China's "system" will likely
always prevent it from being anything other than
a massive cheap-labor pool.
...............
Battery and solar tech "quality" numbers will become
more understandable in the next few years.
Prelim numbers say that with ALL of their "advantages,"
China is unlikely to be in the real vanguard of producing
"quality" alt-energy products. They've got the "affordable"
concept conquered, and the "quantity" concept is pretty
easy, but "quality" just is not happening fast.
So far, non-capitalist countries have just not been able
to easily meet the demands for "quality" that monied
consumers demand.
The govt in China has little to gain from improvements in
"quality." The baseline for industrial job creation and wage
assurance is so low that a job building counterfeits benefits
the "system" to the same degree that a job building "quality"
stuff would.
<< <i>I guess we should be angry at British people as well since they sold the stuff on ebay.
They need to get their ebay standards up to ours.
I guess all of those TVs and electronics in your house must be crap as well since it is all made there.
I'm from Detroit, so I know how important it is to support a domestic mfg base. However the hypocrisy of the anti-China crowd when you look at their own buying habits makes me laugh. >>
I'm not gonna knock anyone who does, it's their business, but I've never bought a foreign car - all my car purchases have either been GM or Ford, and I always buy American whenever I can, even if it costs a bit more. But dam, sometimes when say ya go into an electronics store and ya need something, the only selection is "Made in China" so ya either buy the Chinese made brand or ya do without...and unfortunately, I admit, if I've got no other choice, then I buy the Chinese made product...but I don't like doing it,