Police urged to stop the promotion of counterfeit cosmetics on YouTube
This call was made because a new report shows that the makeup is the sixth most counterfeited category on the market of counterfeit goods. For example, perfumes and cosmetics are among the most counterfeited consumer goods in the UK.
A new report from research firm Kroll have shown that cosmetic products are the sixth most popular category on the market of counterfeit goods. The toys were deemed the most frequently counterfeited goods followed by clothing and spare parts for mobile phones. In response to the increase in counterfeiting British police have urged the beauty of influencers to stop the use of counterfeit products in their tutorials on YouTube.
The Department for combating crimes in the field of intellectual property (PIPCU) London police said counterfeit cosmetics can cause burns, allergic reactions and swelling. According to the organization, laboratory tests showed that bogus beauty products contain toxic levels of chemical compounds and harmful substances such as arsenic, mercury and lead.
Detective Nick Court from PIPCU, said: “We are concerned that popular YouTube stars use of counterfeit cosmetics in their training videos. This not only puts them at risk of infections, rashes and burns, but also may encourage their followers to use the same harmful products. Of course, the owners of these channels on YouTuber indicate that fake makeup will not offer buyers the same quality as the authentic brands. However, we strive to ensure that they are not exposed themselves to health risks in this process.”
Since the founding of the PIPCU in 2013, its staff found 70 000 fake web sites. The police informed the consumers that the illegal signs web site include bad spelling, grammar, images, and incompatible fonts.
Meanwhile, Gartner L2, published last year, Amazon sold more fake cosmetics. Leading brands such as Olay, e.l.f. and L’oréal is reportedly published a review, which mentions that criminals counterfeit approximately 75% of their products.
Benedict Hamilton, managing Director of Kroll, said: “Counterfeits don’t begin and end from a seller on the streets. To create counterfeit goods, there is a whole supply chain, and to stop the flow, we need to find the source.”