Preventing counterfeit and fake goods: Requires concerted effort and unity.

Counterfeit and fake goods are rampant, especially on online marketplaces, causing significant losses to consumers and negatively impacting domestic production.

Dietary supplements were discarded along Nguyen Van Linh road (Ho Chi Minh City) after businesses learned that police were conducting a large-scale crackdown on counterfeit and fake goods - Photo: NGOC KHAI

Just one month after launching a high-intensity campaign to crack down on counterfeit and smuggled goods, authorities have detected and handled over 3,100 violations after inspecting nearly 3,900 cases.

While authorities are intensifying crackdowns on counterfeit goods in traditional markets, production facilities, and business establishments, many types of counterfeit goods continue to proliferate on online marketplaces, causing damage not only to consumers but also to the economy .

Businesses suffer double losses.

Speaking to Tuổi Trẻ newspaper , Ms. Tran Vu Phuong Ha, Deputy General Director of Mat Viet Group, said that the sale of counterfeit goods, goods infringing intellectual property rights, and substandard products is rampant in the eyewear market. In some areas where Mat Viet stores are located, up to 80% of the eyeglasses surrounding them are fake, and many customers use them.

This significantly impacts the business operations of companies importing genuine, traceable goods. For many years, not only legitimate businesses in the eyewear industry, but also many other industries have earnestly sought protection against the rampant spread of counterfeit, fake, and substandard goods.

Notably, besides selling counterfeit and fake branded goods (Ray-Ban, Gucci, Dior, Chanel, Gentle Monster, Bolon...), many vendors also sell counterfeit prescription glasses (frames and lenses for people with nearsightedness, astigmatism, or farsightedness).

"Eyeglasses are not just fashion accessories; they also directly affect visual health," Ms. Phuong Ha emphasized.

Consumers pay for the product, and sellers need assurance that it is genuine and of good quality. Furthermore, some unqualified sellers may make mistakes when measuring eyesight or fitting lenses, resulting in incorrect centering or axis alignment, which negatively impacts consumers.

Therefore, according to Ms. Ha, customers need to find reputable eyewear retailers with clear invoices and documentation, who are willing to take responsibility for the origin and quality of their products.

MSc. Nguyen Pham Hoang Huy - Head of the E-commerce Departmentat FPT Polytechnic HCM, emphasized that although many platforms have implemented scans for counterfeit and copyright-infringing goods, the problem has not been completely resolved.

"While the platform is aggressively collecting fees from small traders, it must also protect legitimate sellers. An unhealthy competitive environment cannot be allowed to exist for a long time," Mr. Huy said.

Cleaning up e-commerce platforms

At the talk show "E-commerce Facing Challenges to Maintaining Consumer Trust" recently organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Minh Hung - Deputy Head of the Trade Management Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, stated that in 2024 alone, more than 3,000 violations were detected nationwide, with Ho Chi Minh City recording nearly 400 cases related to counterfeit and fake goods.

These figures serve as a clear warning, while also raising hopes for a more transparent business environment with decisive action from the authorities.

From a legal standpoint, according to Mr. Hung, laws such as the E-commerce Law and the Consumer Protection Law have contributed to the initial steps towards market transparency.

However, inspection and control need to be more rigorous. State management agencies must ensure an environment that is both transparent, fair, and sustainable.

"If we tighten regulations too much, it will create difficulties for businesses, but if we loosen them, counterfeit and substandard goods will run rampant," Mr. Hung said.

According to Mr. Hung, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is finalizing a draft of a new law, with contributions from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, in order to build a more complete and appropriate legal framework. Despite these efforts, "laws alone are not enough."

Mr. Hung emphasized the role of responsibility and unity among all stakeholders in the e-commerce ecosystem. He stressed the need for decisive action to filter out and eliminate sellers and influencers (KOLs, KOCs) who violate regulations, while simultaneously supporting legitimate sellers, quality products, and those who are responsible to consumers.

Furthermore, according to Mr. Hung, consumers should prioritize choosing official stores and reputable sellers on e-commerce platforms.

"And when you discover a product that doesn't meet quality standards, even if it only costs a few thousand dong, you should report it to the platform to help prevent the violation from spreading, instead of condoning the wrongdoing by remaining silent," Mr. Hung said.

E-commerce platform shirks responsibility.

A reader contacted Tuoi Tre newspaper to report that they had ordered a product from a popular e-commerce platform. However, upon receiving the item, the reader discovered it was counterfeit – just a small bag, not matching the product description.

Immediately afterwards, I followed the proper return procedure and the platform's system confirmed receipt of the returned item. However, the đáng thing is that the platform refused to issue a refund, citing "insufficient funds in the seller's account." The platform also stated that it could not provide any further assistance, shifting all the losses onto the buyer – even though the fault was clearly not mine.

"I believe this is an irresponsible way of working, affecting consumer rights and eroding trust in the operations of this e-commerce platform," reader van...@gmail.com angrily commented.

Over 3,100 cases of counterfeit goods were handled in one month.

Market Management Team No. 4 deploys forces to inspect several business establishments at Saigon Square (June 2025) - Photo: HY

According to the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development (Ministry of Industry and Trade), after one month of implementing a concentrated campaign to combat smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods, and intellectual property infringement, the whole country inspected 3,891 cases, detected and handled 3,114 violations with a total fine of over 63 billion VND.

Of these, 26 cases with signs of criminal activity were transferred to the investigative agency, a 50% increase compared to the same period last year.

The peak period saw the discovery and handling of many prominent cases, such as the seizure of over 500 counterfeit products of high-end brands in central Da Nang on May 20th; the case of a counterfeit sock manufacturing facility in La Phu (Hanoi) on May 26th; and the inspection of Saigon Square (Ho Chi Minh City) on May 29th, which resulted in the seizure of thousands of counterfeit products of famous brands.

In particular, the inspection of four cosmetics establishments in Hanoi on June 9th uncovered 3,500 smuggled products of unknown origin, highlighting the complex and sophisticated nature of mixing counterfeit goods with legitimate products.

The agency stated that it will strengthen market supervision through digital technology, interconnected data, and the improvement of legal mechanisms suitable for the characteristics of modern commerce - especially e-commerce.

Thematic inspections targeting counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringement will continue to be implemented, along with awareness campaigns and signing commitments with organizations and individuals doing business on digital platforms to enhance legal compliance awareness.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ngan-chan-hang-gian-hang-gia-can-dong-suc-dong-long-20250617224541838.htm