Knockoff: The True Story Of The World's Fastest Growing Crimewave

Description

Counterfeiting is an industry growing faster than almost any other in the world. It's a global business with its own manufacturing, distribution and retail networks and represents a market worth $350 billion every year. Knockoff exposes the shocking truth that counterfeiting isn't harmless - it's far from it. Tim Phillips travelled to America, China, France and Russia amongst other countries to research this book with the support of several bodies including the New York Police, the Business Software Alliance and the International Chambers of Commerce. As well as speaking to those affected by the crime, he met people convicted of it and questioned solicitors who defended them. Knockoff takes an unbiased stance and asks uncomfortable questions that are relatively ignored, such as: If drugs to treat Aids are too expensive in the third world, is it not surprising that there is a market for low-quality fakes? When the average piece of software in Russia costs a month's wages, is counterfeiting not inevitable? If enforcement is failing, should industry concentrate on incentives and education instead?
Knockoff thoroughly examines all susceptible industries including: Entertainment; Drugs; Software; Luxury Goods; Car and Aero Parts and Consumer Goods.

Promotion info

Uncovers the shocking consequences of counterfeit goods Based on first-hand interviews with victims, criminals and authorities around the world Highlights the link between seemingly harmless fakes and organised crime Shows how a global crime wave is undermining all the world's economies Asks uncomfortable questions that have until now been ignored Incisive and disturbing - will shock everyone Crucial reading for any consumer

Author description

Tim Phillips is a freelance journalist. He has written for The Wall Street Journal Europe, The International Herald Tribune, The Guardian and The Observer, and The Sunday Times about business, the internet and technology. Tim is currently the Managing Editor of Performance Plus Magazine and regularly appears on BBC TV and Radio and Sky News. His books include Scoring Points (Kogan Page).

Table of contents

Part one: Everything under the sun; Super Cow Museum of Counterfeiting, Paris; Counterfeit Alley New York; Like a bad movie Beijing; Sex and the Purse Party Los Angeles; A greater Europe Venice to Warsaw; Where buyers and sellers meet eBay; I thought I had seen everything Brussels; Part two: You can't compete with free: Illusions Islamabad, Pakistan; Lifting the stone the IFPI forensics lab; Ordinary criminals street market, Yorkshire; The Lion King Northern Ireland; From the topserver down the world wide web; From Russia with Warez Moscow; Part three: Death by fake: AA965 Cali, Colombia; Corrosion corner Miami; What's under the hood? Washington; Show us the dead bodies London; Dora Akunyili must not die! Nigeria; Fighting bees with a hammer Delhi; Afterword: Is there a better way?