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A2IM warns of major CD counterfeiting operation on Amazon

By | Published on Wednesday 19 October 2016

CDs

Bored of internet piracy? How about some good old fashioned bootleg CDs? Counterfeiters based in China are selling large quantities of compact discs via Amazon, the American Association Of Independent music has said. The fakes, says the trade body, are “almost indistinguishable from the genuine article”.

“It has come to our attention that there is a serious counterfeit operation selling large numbers of CDs via Amazon’s FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) system”, says A2IM. “It appears that this product is manufactured in China, but is almost indistinguishable from the genuine article to the extent that even the legitimate manufacturer cannot tell without very close examination”.

“The pirates are pricing slightly below the legitimate product and getting the ‘buy box’ on Amazon”, it continues. “This enables them to take over sales, leaving the real thing on Amazon’s shelves and depriving artists, writers, labels, publishers and distributors of any revenue from those sales”.

According to A2IM, the counterfeit operation is targeting high selling new releases, getting its product to market within two weeks of the release date. It adds that, because Amazon stores product with the same ID together, regardless of seller, buyers may be getting legitimate products but with the money going to the makers of the fakes.

The organisation is asking anyone who suspects that they have seen this counterfeit activity in action, or purchased a counterfeit CD, to get in touch.



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