Vendors sell pirated and counterfeit music and movies at flea markets, record shops, barber shops, check cashing businesses, and many other locations throughout Jacksonville. Many people view this as a victimless crime, but the music industry alone lost over $300,000,000.00 last year. Florida State Statute 540.011 covers the illegal sale and manufacture of these products.
How to tell if these products are counterfeit:
- They are sold in non-traditional settings (flea markets, check cashing businesses, etc).
- The price is often well below retail value ($5.00 - 10.00).
- The printing on the insert tends to be blurry, poor, or faded.
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They are often recorded on CDRs, which have a green or blue tint on the underside.
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The shrink-wrap is not factory-grade quality.
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The insert cards are not properly trimmed, are printed on thin, low quality paper, or one-sided.
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The true name and address of the manufacturer (record/movie label) is omitted, incorrect, or fictitious.
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There are often misspelled words on the inserts.
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There is no bar code on the packaging.
Where to get more information on the problem:
The Recording Industry Association of America The Motion Picture Association of America
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Contact Us:
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Economic Crimes Unit
Police Memorial Building
501 E. Bay Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
(904) 630-2177