Counterfeit
Money, documents and works of art have always been
a major attraction for counterfeiters. Unfortunately, in the
modern industrial society, counterfeit has hugely extended
its operating fields and is now behind frauds generating extremely
serious economic damages both to companies and private and
public institutions in the most varied industrial and services
sectors.
- Software, videotapes and compact disks
- Luxury goods or high unit value items (haute couture,
leatherwear, watches and accessories, perfumes, spirits,
spare parts, etc.)
- Pharmaceutical products
- Consumer goods of the most different kinds, even with
low unit value, but supported by renowned and prestigious
trademarks.
The quality of counterfeit products is always very poor or anyway
lower than the original one; therefore, in addition to the losses
resulting from a
decrease in sales, the manufacturer's
image is also seriously affected.
- Even promotional "discount vouchers" and "points"
are the subject of billion-worthy forgery, as well as the
most different marks proving the payments of taxes, fees
and duties.
How to protect oneself
Counterfeit can be largely prevented so that related
costs can be reduced, if not at all eliminated. To this purpose
the product or mark to be protected can be provided with one
or more hardly reproducible identification elements.
Identification elements may be "concealed"
or "apparent", i.e. easily identifiable.
- Concealed elements are very likely not to be noted
by the counterfeiter who will not even be able to try to
reproduce them.
- On the contrary apparent elements are evident also
to the counterfeiter who may try to imitate them, although
they certainly have a strong deterrent effect. As a matter
of fact, with so many products available, counterfeiters
start attacking the least protected ones. They also make
consumers pay more attention to genuineness.
A single identification element may not be sufficient to
protect oneself from frauds. To this purpose it is necessary
to create an "integrated antiÏcounterfeit system"
capable of fulfilling specific requirements concerning elements
used, control devices, system characters and their
roles. This can be obtained with a limited investment,
however much lower than the losses resulting from frauds.
Arca has already acquired a significant experience in designing
and building unique integrated systems tailored for ther
