Legal updates and opinions
News / News
COVID-19 and online precautions for brand owners
by Donvay Wegierski, Director
As the world heeds the call to stay at home and flatten the curve our online activity has increased. With it, we have seen an increase in cybercrime, phishing and general criminal activity luring people to donate to fake causes, to click on phishing links and buy fake or counterfeit goods.
There has also been a particularly sharp rise in counterfeit pharmaceuticals and protective gear. Worldwide shortages of protective gear has seen a proliferation of fake products. One such example are “N95” masks (being a US certification) available online and subsequently pulled from India, Pakistan and numerous other countries.
Understandably fake or inadequate products place lives at risk therefore the origin and credibility of the website from which products are purchased should be treated with caution. In an effort for brand owners to combat trade mark infringement and counterfeit product the following measures could be considered:
- Google Alerts or anti-counterfeiting services which flag the unauthorised use of brand names;
- Trade mark watching services can be implemented or increased;
- Consider anti-counterfeiting partnerships with likeminded business;
- Educate and inform customers online by including listings of legitimate retailers, posting photographs of genuine product and encouraging reporting of fake or unauthorised product;and
- Continue to maintain and protect brands locally and abroad – register and maintain trade marks and domain names, in South Africa and other countries.
Latest News
There’s a new merger sheriff on the continent: Navigating the East African Community’s pending merger notification regime
by Pieter Steyn - Director and Raisah Mahomed - Associate On 1 July 2025 the East African Community Competition Authority [...]
Employers’ beware: not every positive test warrants a dismissal, even where a zero tolerance policy is in place
by Andre van Heerden, Director and Hannah Fowler, Candidate Attorney When it comes to workplace policies on alcohol and drugs, [...]
Are all parents created equal: The Constitutional Court confirms the invalidity of legislation relating to forms of parental leave
by Kerry Fredericks - Director, Thembelihle Tshabalala - Associate and Gracie Sargood - Candidate Attorney In the recent highly [...]
Bafana Bafana’s World Cup qualification hanging by a thread
by Brendan Olivier, Director and Daniel Gewer, Candidate Attorney Bafana Bafana's prospects of taking to the field at next year's [...]
ESG, the key to sustaining the construction sector?
by Justin Duarte, Candidate Attorney, reviewed by Natalie Scott, Director and Head of Sustainability and Jennifer Smit, Director and Head [...]
SME cashflow threats: ensuring that your security offers a protection against payment default
by Brendan Olivier, Director It's becoming all-too-common: an SME that provides goods and services on credit to a major supplier [...]
