The hills are alive -- with the sound of (illegally downloaded) music

01-12-2012

Stuart Fuller

The hills are alive -- with the sound of (illegally downloaded) music

With Christmas on the horizon, online retailers are expecting a bonanza, but so too are counterfeiters. Stuart Fuller looks at how you can avoid falling victim.

As I write this there are just 40 shopping days until Christmas. I feel pretty smug this year, as I completed the majority of my shopping in October, thanks to ordering online, home delivery and the benefit of a well-prepared hidey hole, safe from tiny prying eyes who still believe in the magic of Father Christmas. When other shoppers will be running around on Christmas Eve trying to find those lastminute presents, I will be enjoying a festive drink while watching The Sound of Music on TV.

I am convinced I got some good deals from shopping around online and, where I could, using vouchers to buy my Christmas With Christmas on the horizon, online retailers are expecting a bonanza, but so too are counterfeiters. Stuart Fuller looks at how you can avoid falling victim. presents. I am also as sure as I can be that my purchases are 100 percent genuine.

In reality though, come Christmas Day the number of fake products being unwrapped will be the highest ever. Unfortunately, we live in a world where brands are constantly targeted by cybercriminals. We still think of website hacking as the most significant threat to a business, but it is the ‘unseen’ activity that causes the most damage to a brand’s reputation.


christmas, counterfeits, piracy, brand protection

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