Dubai Police warns against advertising counterfeit goods and products on social media platforms

The Dubai Police General Command, represented by the Economic Crimes Department of the General Department of Criminal Investigations and Investigations, confirmed that promoting or selling counterfeit products through social media platforms is a clear legal violation that requires legal accountability, warning young people and owners of commercial and advertising accounts against being led by suspicious offers of cooperation that come from unknown parties or unreliable accounts that aim to exploit them in illegal commercial activities under the guise of “advertising” or “electronic marketing”.

The Economic Crimes Department explained that some individuals, especially young people, believe that selling or advertising counterfeit watches, perfumes, clothes and accessories via social media applications is considered a simple commercial activity or a means of achieving additional income, without realizing that this behavior constitutes a clear violation of the laws of intellectual property rights and trademark protection in force in the United Arab Emirates, in accordance with Federal Law No. 36 of 2021, which gives trademark owners the right to protection and preventing the imitation or exploitation of their marks.

She stressed that the UAE is a leading model in protecting intellectual property rights and combating commercial counterfeiting, through advanced legislation and strict regulatory procedures aimed at protecting consumers, markets, companies, and commercial rights holders, which contributes to enhancing a safe and fair investment environment.

She indicated that many fake commercial accounts exploit some young people’s desire for quick profit, by sending them counterfeit products in exchange for photographing them or promoting them through their personal accounts, which may implicate them legally even if they are not fully aware of the nature of the product or its source, stressing that ignorance of the law does not exempt from responsibility.

She noted that illegal trade through social media platforms is not only harmful to the legal aspect, but extends to harming the reputation of individuals and losing the trust of followers and customers, in addition to its negative impact on the economy and regular markets, pointing out that the consumer may be exposed to deception when purchasing products bearing counterfeit trademarks that are marketed as original or of high quality.

It called on all users, influencers and online store owners to verify the sources of products before advertising or offering them for sale, not to deal with unknown suppliers or accounts, and to ensure the presence of legal licenses and official invoices that prove the authenticity of the products and their legitimate source.