Scan the anti-counterfeiting QR code of the product to show that it is genuine, but the packaging and use experience are different. Some consumers reported that after purchasing goods, they encountered false anti-counterfeiting codes and "self-made" anti-counterfeiting query websites, and contacted official channels to inquire before the fake anti-counterfeiting codes showed their original shape.
The reporter's investigation found that the anti-counterfeiting code and query system can be purchased with money, and even customized energy. Some anti-counterfeiting inquiry systems with the names of "China" and "National" are also operated and managed by commercial companies, and do not have reliable and authoritative qualifications.
01
astonished
The "anti-counterfeiting code" turned out to be a "fake code"
"I can't imagine that it is clearly claimed to be 'genuine', but the anti-counterfeiting code and anti-counterfeiting number can be counterfeited after getting it. When it comes to a car maintenance product purchased on an e-commerce platform not long ago, Wang Hongyun still remembers it vividly. He bluntly said that if there is even a problem with the anti-counterfeiting code, whether the product itself is genuine or not has not made much sense to be more real.
Wang Hongyun did not doubt the authenticity of the anti-counterfeiting code and anti-counterfeiting number of the product at first. Because of this car maintenance product, there are several channels to verify the authenticity. When he used the most common "drip discoloration" method of the product to verify, he found that the goods in his hand automatically changed color without dripping.
He was skeptical about this and decided to take a closer look at the security code and numbers. "Compared with the identification pictures posted by other members of the car friend group, the anti-counterfeiting logo and number of the product I bought are blurry, and the position and interval of the number are not quite right. ”
Later, Wang Hong used his mobile phone to scan the anti-counterfeiting QR code and discovered a new problem again. "Genuine products, after scanning the anti-counterfeiting code, will automatically jump to the brand's official public account. I can't jump to the official account after scanning the QR code of the product, not to mention, the query page is also simulated. After that, after seeking the appraisal of institutions and others, he began to complain to the Consumer Association and communicated with the merchant that "fake one pays ten".
However, the merchant never admitted that the product had quality problems, but finally gave him "one refund and three losses". "Many people will not go to the real anti-counterfeiting code, thinking that the anti-counterfeiting code is pasted, the product is real, in fact, the real is not necessarily. ”
Wang Hongyun posted the anti-counterfeiting code of the purchased car maintenance products
Wang Hongyun's experience is not an isolated case. A similar situation occurred with the beauty products purchased by consumer Peng Xue. "I bought a box of setting powder, and the anti-counterfeiting code was fake, and the scammers themselves would make a website!" Peng Xue sighed, when she scanned the anti-counterfeiting code of the box, the page appeared with information such as the name of the company, the number of queries and the time of the first inquiry, and prompted "The product you purchased is genuine, please feel free to use it." ”
However, when Peng Xue entered the anti-counterfeiting code of the product on the official account of the brand, she was prompted that "the anti-counterfeiting code XXXX you entered has been verified by the system and is not the correct anti-counterfeiting code, please buy with caution." Peng Xue suddenly realized - it turned out that as long as the official official account of the product does not scan the anti-counterfeiting code or enter the code query, the product will be "genuine".
Peng Xue recorded the whole process of scanning the code and submitting it to the merchant and the platform, and the merchant did not admit that there was a problem with the goods, but the platform quickly forced the return and refund.
Peng Xue scanned the code and the anti-counterfeiting code on the package was displayed as "genuine"
The official inquiry of the beauty products purchased by Peng Xue is fake, so it is recommended to buy with caution
The reporter searched on the "Black Cat Complaint" platform with "fake anti-counterfeiting code" as the keyword, and could see thousands of complaints. Many consumers have reported that there are problems after scanning the security code or entering the security number of the purchased product. Scanned with the anti-counterfeiting code on the box, the product prompts that it is genuine, but it is "fake" or recommended to buy cautiously by contacting the official inquiry directly from other channels.
02
Gray chain
Cents a piece can be customized
Where do these "problematic" and alleged false anti-counterfeiting codes and query websites come from? As consumers say, they can "do it themselves"? The reporter's investigation found that the design, production, and construction of anti-counterfeiting codes and query systems have long been a mature industrial chain.
"Professional customization", "free design", "general label, spot delivery"...... In some platform channels, with the "anti-counterfeiting code", "anti-counterfeiting code customization" and other words search, you can soon pop up all kinds of businesses that provide this service. In the introduction and publicity of these businesses, most of them are highlighted by "one thing, one code", "free samples", "traceability and source checking", and some even use extremely low prices as gimmicks.
The reporter contacted three different companies. "See how much you need? I can give you a price list. The person in charge of an enterprise said that an anti-counterfeiting signature can be printed at the same time QR code, website and telephone three ways to query and verify, depending on the needs of the enterprise. As for the price, 10,000 anti-counterfeiting codes are 600 yuan, 50,000 anti-counterfeiting codes are 1,300 yuan, and 100,000 anti-counterfeiting codes are 1,600 yuan.
When you place an order in this company, you can use the general version of the anti-counterfeiting query website system and the "400" phone number provided by them for free, "Send me the corporate logo (logo), and I will arrange an artist to design it for you." "You don't have to worry about anything else, just buy it and use it." ”
The sample style presented by the manufacturer of the anti-counterfeiting code
"We've been doing it for many years and it's been consistent. Recently, there have been many orders, and the delivery time is relatively tight. After hearing about the intentions, the staff of another company suggested that it was best to order at least 50,000 pieces, "We also want to open the machine, 10,000 pieces 1,000 yuan, 50,000 pieces 1,500 yuan, the price difference is not big." She also reminded that looking for a partner to do anti-counterfeiting codes, we must pay more attention to the qualifications and strength of the enterprise, "We have our own factory and equipment." There are many anti-counterfeiting companies, some of which are shell companies, and he also needs to find other factories to OEM, which is equivalent to an intermediary, and the query system cannot guarantee stability. ”
These anti-counterfeiting codes, once pasted on the packaging box, why can consumers find out that they are "genuine"? According to a number of company staff, this has been "prepared" in the production process.
Taking the minimum order of 10,000 anti-counterfeiting codes as an example, the company will use computer programs to randomly generate two-dimensional codes and numeric codes, and these data have been uploaded to the background of the query system used with them when producing anti-counterfeiting codes. "Just use the page and phone of the general system. If you want to customize the inquiry page of your own company, a one-time fee of 400 yuan will be used permanently. ”
The reporter's investigation found that among the three companies, two companies simply asked about the demand and quantity of anti-counterfeiting, and said that they could send the enterprise logo, and then arrange the design and production. However, one company proposed that it needs to provide relevant information and processes before arranging the production of anti-counterfeiting codes.
These materials and processes include a picture of the company's business license, a picture of the power of attorney document with the official seal, a penny transferred by the company's legal person for authentication, and a picture of the legal person's ID card. "The results of the consumer query will indicate which company's product is and whether it is genuine. Generally, it will be shipped in about 5 days. ”
03
survey
The sponsors of the "country" prefix query website are mostly enterprises
The interview found that a number of companies that produce anti-counterfeiting codes, in order to facilitate consumers to scan the code to query the authenticity of product information, will link the so-called anti-counterfeiting query website system. However, as the investigation deepened, the reporter found that these website systems looked like "regular army" but were not authoritative in nature.
Take, for example, the query website system displayed and provided by one of the companies. On the anti-counterfeiting code label displayed on it, the product information verification center containing the prefix "country" and the words "product information verification center" with the prefix "country" are printed. The difference between one word and one word is confusing. There is also a page for querying the website system, with words such as "anti-counterfeiting and supporting excellence" and "brand credibility".
"Our query URL system is very stable and has been around for many years. "Need to provide a variety of materials, and then produce anti-counterfeiting code company staff said that with their products supporting the query system, is the "country" prefix commodity information anti-counterfeiting query center.
Compared with the above two "country" prefix query pages, the name of this query system has changed slightly, and there are more words "anti-counterfeiting query". According to the company's personnel who claim to have "many orders and tight delivery periods" in the near future, the query page system is the brand quality information verification center known as "the whole country".
The reporter logged on to the query page of various websites with the prefix "country" and found that most of them used dark blue or light blue as the page background, coupled with website logos, page layouts, page slogans and other information, which added a bit of regularity and "authority". In some query URL pages, the link domain also contains words such as "315", "12315", "3-15", etc.
However, the reporter inquired about the small font information at the bottom of multiple web pages and found that most of the signatures were from an anti-counterfeiting company. It further logs in to the "ICP/IP address/domain name information filing management system" of the government service platform of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Enter the ICP service ICP record number information in it, and find that the sponsor of these web systems is mostly "enterprise".
For an example of the anti-counterfeiting code typed by the merchant, the two anti-counterfeiting inquiry agencies with the prefix "country" are only one word apart
"It's not a government department, it's all done by a commercial company platform. A staff member of an anti-counterfeiting code company said. This statement was further confirmed in the interview. "The anti-counterfeiting system is our own. To have a certificate to apply, it does not mean that anyone can apply for it. Another company staff said that almost every anti-counterfeiting company's anti-counterfeiting query website is different, and the key is whether the website system is stable.
"Nowadays, there are many so-called institutions and centers, and it is difficult for ordinary people to identify them. This is a typical gray and black industry chain. Zhu Wei, deputy director of the Communication Law Research Center of China University of Political Science and Law and vice president of the Beijing Law Society E-commerce Rule of Law Research Association, said that the so-called anti-counterfeiting or traceability institutions operated and managed by commercial companies are contrary to the initial establishment of the traceability mechanism, it is not a true, reliable and authoritative verification agency, the use of problem anti-counterfeiting codes, false anti-counterfeiting codes, may involve false publicity, may violate the "Consumer Rights Protection Law", "Product Quality Law", "Anti-Unfair Competition Law" and other relevant laws and regulations, and need to be strictly governed.