Anti-Counterfeit

ANTI-COUNTERFEIT POLICY

Effective Date: January 2025
Version: 3.0

ZERO TOLERANCE DECLARATION

Unequivocal Position Statement

USASupply.shop maintains ABSOLUTE ZERO TOLERANCE for counterfeit goods, intellectual property infringement, and illegal trade practices. This policy is:

  • Non-negotiable
  • Universally applied
  • Criminally enforced
  • Permanently binding
  • Internationally effective
  • Immediately actionable

Critical Legal Framework

This policy enforces compliance with:

  • 18 U.S.C. § 2320 (Criminal Counterfeiting)
  • 15 U.S.C. § 1114 (Trademark Infringement)
  • 17 U.S.C. § 506 (Criminal Copyright)
  • 19 U.S.C. § 1526 (Customs Violations)
  • State criminal codes
  • International treaties

FEDERAL CRIMINAL PENALTIES

Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods (18 U.S.C. § 2320)

MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES:

First Offense

  • Individual: Up to 10 years federal prison
  • Organization: Corporate dissolution
  • Fines: $2,000,000 (individual) / $5,000,000 (entity)
  • Forfeiture: ALL assets derived from violation
  • Restitution: Full victim compensation
  • Supervised Release: 3 years minimum

Second/Subsequent Offense

  • Individual: Up to 20 years federal prison
  • Mandatory Minimum: 1 year (cannot be suspended)
  • Fines: $5,000,000 (individual) / $15,000,000 (entity)
  • Career Criminal: Enhanced penalties
  • RICO Predicates: Additional 20 years possible

Related Federal Crimes

Often charged together:

  1. Wire Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343): 20 years
  2. Mail Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341): 20 years
  3. Money Laundering (18 U.S.C. § 1956): 20 years
  4. Conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 371): 5 years
  5. Customs Violations (18 U.S.C. § 545): 20 years
  6. Tax Evasion (26 U.S.C. § 7201): 5 years

Total exposure: Life imprisonment possible

Civil Penalties (15 U.S.C. § 1117)

Per Counterfeit Mark:

  • Statutory damages: Up to $2,000,000
  • Treble actual damages
  • Defendant's profits
  • Destruction of goods
  • Recall costs
  • Corrective advertising
  • Full attorney fees
  • Prejudgment interest
  • Permanent injunction

MANDATORY SUPPLIER VERIFICATION PROTOCOL

Before ANY Supplier Engagement

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION (100% Mandatory):

Business Legitimacy

  1. Government Registration
    • Business license (verified)
    • Tax identification (confirmed)
    • Corporate documents (authenticated)
    • Operating permits (current)
    • Insurance certificates (valid)
  2. Physical Verification
    • Street address (not PO Box)
    • Facility photos/video
    • Utility bills
    • Lease agreements
    • Employee verification
  3. Financial Validation
    • Bank references
    • Credit reports
    • Financial statements
    • Payment processing
    • Trade references

Product Authentication

MANDATORY VERIFICATION:

  1. Brand Authorization
    • Written authorization letter
    • Authorized distributor agreement
    • Brand owner confirmation
    • Territory rights proof
    • Current dated status
  2. Product Genuineness
    • Certificates of authenticity
    • Serial number verification
    • Security feature confirmation
    • Hologram validation
    • Laboratory testing (if needed)
  3. Supply Chain Documentation
    • Complete chain of custody
    • Original purchase invoices
    • Import documentation
    • Customs clearance
    • Transportation records

Verification Services

Recommended third-party validators:

  • Brand owner verification departments
  • Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
  • Bureau Veritas
  • SGS Group
  • Intertek
  • TÜV SÜD

Cost: Your responsibility Frequency: Before EVERY purchase

COUNTERFEIT DETECTION RED FLAGS

IMMEDIATE DEAL TERMINATION TRIGGERS

Pricing Red Flags (Any ONE = STOP):

  • Prices below 70% of authorized retail
  • "Too good to be true" bulk discounts
  • Pricing significantly below MAP
  • Sudden deep discounts
  • Cash-only pricing
  • Cryptocurrency preferences

Business Practice Red Flags:

  • Gmail/Yahoo/Hotmail emails
  • Residential addresses
  • Virtual offices only
  • Reluctance to meet in person
  • No business registration
  • Evasive communication
  • Grammar/spelling errors
  • High-pressure tactics
  • No return address
  • Generic business names

Product Red Flags:

  • Quality inconsistencies
  • Packaging variations
  • Missing security features
  • Incorrect fonts/logos
  • Color variations
  • Material differences
  • Smell differences
  • Weight variations
  • Missing documentation
  • "Overrun" claims

Documentation Red Flags:

  • Refuses to provide papers
  • Altered documents
  • Suspicious invoices
  • No chain of custody
  • Missing customs forms
  • Vague origins
  • Changing stories
  • Defensive responses

SPECIFIC INDUSTRY WARNINGS

Highest Risk Categories

Fashion/Accessories (90% counterfeit risk)

Common fakes: Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, Hermès, Rolex Verification: Serial numbers, date codes, craftsmanshipRed flags: Perfect stitching claims, unusual models

Electronics (85% counterfeit risk)

Common fakes: Apple, Samsung, Beats, Sony Verification: Serial number databases, authorized dealers Red flags: Unsealed boxes, missing accessories

Cosmetics/Fragrances (80% counterfeit risk)

Common fakes: MAC, Urban Decay, Chanel, Dior Verification: Batch codes, authorized retailers only Red flags: Separated packaging, color differences

Automotive Parts (75% counterfeit risk)

Common fakes: Airbags, brake pads, filters Verification: OEM certification, holograms Red flags: No safety certifications

Geographic Risk Zones

Extreme caution required:

  1. China (certain regions)
  2. Turkey (Istanbul area)
  3. UAE (free trade zones)
  4. Thailand (border areas)
  5. Mexico (specific ports)
  6. Russia (online sellers)

REPORTING OBLIGATIONS

Legal Duty to Report

Federal law may REQUIRE reporting suspected counterfeiting to prevent:

  • Aiding and abetting liability
  • Conspiracy charges
  • Money laundering exposure
  • RICO implications

Where to Report

Primary Agencies:

  1. National IPR Center
  2. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
  3. U.S. Customs and Border Protection
    • Website: www.cbp.gov
    • E-Allegations: apps.cbp.gov/eallegations
  4. Brand Owner Programs
    • Direct brand reporting
    • Anti-counterfeit teams
    • Test purchase programs

Information to Provide

Include ALL available:

  • Supplier name and contact
  • Physical addresses
  • Website URLs
  • Email communications
  • Product details
  • Pricing information
  • Transaction records
  • Photographs
  • Shipping information
  • Financial records

OUR COOPERATION COMMITMENT

Law Enforcement Cooperation

We provide FULL cooperation to:

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection
  • National IPR Center
  • State/local law enforcement
  • International agencies (INTERPOL)
  • Brand protection teams
  • Industry associations

Information Sharing

We will provide (as legally permitted/required):

  • User registration data
  • Transaction records
  • IP addresses
  • Communication logs
  • Download history
  • Payment information
  • Pattern analysis
  • Expert testimony

Proactive Measures

We actively:

  • Monitor user activities
  • Analyze purchase patterns
  • Flag suspicious behavior
  • Conduct investigations
  • Share intelligence
  • Testify in proceedings
  • Support prosecutions

CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLATIONS

Immediate Actions (0-24 hours)

Upon credible counterfeit connection:

  1. Account termination (permanent)
  2. IP address ban (all ranges)
  3. Email blacklist (all variations)
  4. Payment method ban
  5. Data preservation (legal hold)
  6. Law enforcement notification
  7. Brand owner notification

Legal Actions (1-30 days)

Civil proceedings initiated:

  1. Breach of contract lawsuit
  2. Fraud claims
  3. Indemnification enforcement
  4. Damage recovery
  5. Injunctive relief
  6. Asset discovery
  7. Collection proceedings

Criminal Referral

Package provided to prosecutors:

  • Complete user history
  • Transaction records
  • Pattern analysis
  • Communication logs
  • Terms acceptance
  • Policy acknowledgments
  • Supporting evidence

Financial Consequences

You will owe:

  • No refunds (forfeited)
  • Our legal costs
  • Investigation expenses
  • Damages incurred
  • Indemnification amounts
  • Collection costs
  • Interest and penalties

Public Consequences

As legally permitted:

  • Industry blacklists
  • Platform notifications
  • Public court records
  • Media coverage
  • Professional impacts
  • Immigration consequences
  • Employment effects

YOUR BINDING ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

By purchasing from USASupply.shop, you make these legally binding acknowledgments:

  1. Understanding: You fully understand counterfeit penalties
  2. Compliance: You will verify ALL suppliers completely
  3. Responsibility: You accept 100% liability for your actions
  4. Indemnification: You will protect us from ALL claims
  5. Cooperation: You will report suspected counterfeits
  6. Consequences: You accept all violation penalties
  7. Monitoring: You consent to our compliance monitoring
  8. Enforcement: You accept our enforcement actions

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Verification Resources

  • International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition: www.iacc.org
  • Authentication services: Various providers
  • Brand protection: Direct brand contacts
  • Industry associations: Sector-specific

Legal Resources

Educational Resources

REMEMBER: When in doubt, DON'T. The consequences are too severe.

THIS POLICY PROTECTS YOU, US, CONSUMERS, AND LEGITIMATE COMMERCE