Property stolen from luggage and sold on eBay!

With the recent incident highlighted in an article on the register website regarding the theft of consumer electronic from people luggage and their subsequent sale on eBay once again the use of CheckMEND could have saved a lot of people buying this stuff a lot of hassle. Remember if it looks too good to be true it probably is, always check what you are buying with CheckMEND.

CheckMEND SERVICE ADDRESSES ONLINE AUCTION SITES’ PROBLEMS

CheckMEND SERVICE ADDRESSES ONLINE AUCTION SITES’ PROBLEMS

 

Need for Stronger Solutions Underscored by eBay Counterfeits Ruling in France; US Decision Imminent

 

Gloucestershire, UK, July 2, 2008 – In light of the recent legal ruling in France resulting in a $63 million fine against eBay for selling counterfeit luxury goods, the global issue of product authenticity among online auction sites has been brought sharply into focus. Cybercrime and “e-fencing” are serious matters in the US as well, costing consumers an estimated $4 billion annually. A judge in the US is due to rule at any time on a similar case brought by Tiffany.

 

This threat was identified eight years ago by the founders of CheckMEND.com, an online property validation service, who have compiled what is now the world’s largest database of counterfeit and stolen goods with more than 100 million records.  A simple online search (or “check”) allows auction sites, consumers and manufacturers to validate the authenticity of a product for less than a dollar.

 

Adrian Portlock, founder and CEO of CheckMEND, has been in the business of identifying dubious goods sold online for nearly a decade and is an expert in this area, having  worked extensively with law enforcement and government organizations. He said, “If you strip away the smoke and mirrors, this is a simple argument about whether online auction sites should be pro-active in policing the property being sold on their sites, and this issue is not going to go away. No system is ever going to be perfect at identifying all questionable items, but you have to start somewhere. CheckMEND is the most comprehensive system of its type, recommended by eBay in the UK when buying a mobile phone.”

 

A short demo of the CheckMEND system can be viewed at www.checkmend.com.

 

About CheckMEND

CheckMEND is a commercial service provided by Recipero Limited, a specialist aggregator of information. Based in Gloucestershire, UK, Recipero provides services to a range of blue chip clients and government organizations. The data on the CheckMEND database is checked over 1 million times a month by hundreds of approved organizations from more than 40 countries worldwide. For more information, visit CheckMEND at www.checkmend.com.

Welcome to CheckMEND US

 

Thanks for checking out CheckMEND as we open for business here in the US.  We’ve done a lot of work – and have had great success – in the UK helping buyers and sellers combat the problems associated with cybercrime relating to second hand goods. 

 

This even shocked us: US citizens lost $239 million in various Internet-based fraud schemes.  Not surprising, cellular phones are one of the top items sold on online auctions sites with eBay recently confirming that the residents of Los Angeles last year sold 24 million items for nearly $1.4 billion and cellular phones were the best selling category. 

 

A little bit about CheckMEND

Check out our product demo to see how we work located at:

www.checkmend.com/us/checkmend_demo

 

It is a really easy-to-use service for identifying serial numbered stolen and counterfeit goods offered on the Internet. CheckMEND offers consumers and businesses nationwide safe, fast, easy and very affordable checks against the world’s largest publicly available database of more than 100 million records of information that may be relevant to any prospective purchaser.  Bottom line: we’re trying to prevent you from getting burned.

 

A search on www.checkmend.com costs just $2.99 with even better pricing when multiple checks are made. Every check includes a printable comprehensive history report showing all the information available on the system.

 

This includes whether it is registered as stolen, had its identity changed, or has been subject to an insurance claim for damage or loss. Anyone checking a cellular phone also can verify whether the phone has been disabled by network carriers worldwide.   This is all really important so you actually get what you think you’re paying for.

 

We look forward to providing regular updates from the CheckMEND team, state of the industry and ongoing perspectives about protecting your personal items.