Knock off's will Knock you out.

So you're a fashion loving college student and love designer things, but the problem is, is that you can't afford them. So what do you do? You go to China-town or online and buy 'Quality replicas.' You sport the bag or wallet around and get attention from all sorts of people. The people who don't know their brands well enough and think it's real, the fashion savvy who are laughing at you inside their heads because 'obviously it's a fake because the patterns don't line up'.. and then the police. Yes the police. Little do the mothers know, that when they're buying their daughters the fake Louis Vuitton bags, that they're committing a crime. It is fraud. Possessing these items while you are crossing borders, for example, is a serious issue and can turn into hefty fines and even jail time. CDs, DVDs, shoes, clothing, artwork, sports equipment, perfume, pharmaceuticals, jewelry and other accessories are all watched for very closely in some places. So think twice before grabbing that cheap ticket to Miami, soaking up the sun on a cruise ship and getting your favorite knock-off item in the Caribbean; your penalties could cost you 10-times the amount of your entire vacation
Last April, $1.4 million worth of fake Ed Hardy merchandise was on its way to New Jersey when it was intercepted at New York-JFK and in December, officials at Incheon International Airport in Korea snagged a group trying to take over $20 million worth of China-made imitation luxury goods into the US to sell; a record bust for that airport.

One of the most expensive related incidents unfolded in 2008, when Ebay was forced to pay $61 million to Louis Vuitton for not keeping a closer eye on the sale of counterfeit goods on its website. They also had to pay them $118,000 more in a separate incident last September. Thats not the only designer theyve been in trouble with either, as they were also ordered to pay Hermes $27,000 in 2008, and before that they ended up winning a battle with Tiffany & Co. in addition to another win last year against Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.



Even though you can usually find specific regulations for each country you plan on traveling to, its still always better to be safe than sorry (as moms always say) and just leave the fakes at homes. Being stylish may be important, but not when it means you could get into trouble with the law for it. Just make sure that next year for Valentines Day your sweetheart gets you the real thing instead of a cheap knock-off. Now that doesnt sound too bad..