Support our non-partisan non-profit newsroom 💜 Donate now

The market for dupes is booming

Nov 2, 2023
Lululemon embraced the trend of dupes by offering consumers the chance to swap a pair of dupe leggings for the real deal.
Lululemon embraced the trend of dupes by offering consumers the chance to swap a pair of dupe leggings for the real deal.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The search for the perfect "dupe" might be more valuable than the dupe itself

Jun 7, 2023
"It's gotten to the point where the logic of dupes has been sort of flipped on its head," said Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz. "And people are spending more time and in some cases, more money dupe-hunting than they would if they just bought the original."
Above, counterfeit Prada bags. "[Dupes] also include counterfeits and knockoffs," said Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz. "It's sort of a Gen Z-destigmatized rebranding of fakes, but fake goods definitely fall under the dupe umbrella."
Phillipe Lopez/AFP via Getty Images

Vietnam cracks down on fake "Made in Vietnam" labels

Jun 11, 2019
The Vietnamese government has promised a crackdown on fake labels and certificates of origin.
This photograph taken on May 24, 2019 shows a Ted Baker brand men's shirt labeled "Made in Vietnam" in a factory in Hanoi.
MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images

Welcome to the war of inflatable pool toys

Jul 29, 2016
For BigMouth Inc., this season has meant lots of summertime sadness.
STR/AFP/Getty Images

The tricky business behind fake Hollywood money

Mar 10, 2015
How a well-known prop maker found himself accused of counterfeiting.
There are rules prop makers must follow in duplicating money.
Joe Raedle/Newsmakers

You bought a counterfeit sports jersey. So what?

Feb 2, 2015
Such products are often a revenue stream for criminal organizations, experts say.

For public good, not for profit.

Fake pharmaceuticals are a $75 billion global industry

Sep 26, 2013
It's not just a problem in developing nations either.

$20 bill turns 10, trailblazer in fight against counterfeiters

May 13, 2013
That 'new' 20-spot isn't so new anymore.

Making money: The most secure paper in the world

Jan 28, 2013
How do you stop a counterfeiter? Holograms are out, but bank note windows are in. We talk with the CEO of Fortress Paper, a company that makes special paper that money is made from, with a focus on security.