Counterfeit and forgery actions

Counterfeit and forgery actions

Forgery is the process of making, drawing, or altering a document with the intent of defrauding. A person is found guilty of forgery if he/she changes any document writing to look like an original or copying another person’s signature for fraud. Counterfeiting generally refers to the Act of making, dealing, or possessing forged documents, unauthentic currencies, and infringement of trademarks. The most common form of counterfeit cases reported in the US is fake currency.

Counterfeit and forgery actions are well established under both the federal and state laws status. The federal law states that a person found guilty with possession of counterfeit currency or in possession of equipment that can be used for fake purposes faces a jail term not exceeding 20 years and a fine. The jail term depends on the seriousness of the case. People involved in severe counterfeit cases are jailed for more years, while those found with minor forgery cases face a shorter jail term. Different states have also established different laws and policies concerning forgery and counterfeiting. For instance, the Maryland statute states it is a crime to possess or issue knowing with unlawful intent counterfeit documents like currency. In Georgia, a person found with fake documents is prosecuted with the offense of forgery. However, a person must have a defraud intent for him or her to be found guilty of counterfeiting. Sometimes, especially during investigations, a government can lawfully allow investigators to use the fake currency to complete research. A person found in possession of counterfeit documents or money can be prosecuted with one or more offenses like forgery, fraud, and theft.

Just like any other case, the prosecutor must provide evidence that a convict had the intent of defrauding during the time of the arrest. Prosecutors face a lot of challenges when it comes to presenting evidence in a court of law to prove that a suspect had a counterfeit intent. Circumstantial evidence is mostly used in the process of prosecuting fake criminals. In this evidence, the prosecutor examines the unusual behaviors that may suggest that a person had intent. Such actions include confusion, disguise, and misidentification, like giving false information like names. On the other hand, the defendants mostly defend themselves, claiming that they had no knowledge they were using counterfeit currency or materials. As a result, it becomes essential for false suspects to access an attorney immediately after arrests, who can guide them on how to defend themselves.

Counterfeit and forgery cases have increased in recent decades. The main factor that has contributed to this is advancement in technology, especially in the printing section. Today, there is much software that assists people in forging documents like PDF editors. In the printing sector, many printers and inks can print genuine, like currencies.

Counterfeit has a lot of effects on society. Banks and financial-related institutions have machines to detect fake currencies. Likewise, there are different ways in which companies can detect forged documents. This directly affects people who might be using counterfeit currencies unknowingly. They go on losses when their currencies are established to be counterfeit during deposits into banks. For instance, a retailer given fake currencies by a customer in exchange for goods will go on a loss.

Second, it leads to a sentence for innocent people. As stated above, counterfeit and forgery in the US are illegal under both federal and state laws. As a result, if a person is found in possession of counterfeit products or documents, he or she faces a criminal charge. It becomes hard to win such a case, and thus many go to jail while they had the intention of committing the crime.

Counterfeit goods and products affect American companies and businesses negatively. They bring unfair competition in the market. Over recent years, there have been issues related to counterfeit goods and products from China in the US. Researchers suggest that US companies lose over $200 million due to counterfeiting. Ninety percent of counterfeit goods have poor quality, and that’s why they have low prices compared to genuine goods. The main reason behind this is the low cost of production. Global e-commerce companies, including Alibaba and Amazon, have been accused of retailing counterfeited products, dragging the US economy behind. This has resulted in small scale business people dealing with genuine goods to close their shops due to losses.

Both companies and legislators have become increasingly aware of the effects of counterfeiting and forgery in society. As a result, they have tried to come up with measures to reduce counterfeiting. Holograms, biometric markers, and smart cards are widely used to differentiate counterfeit from genuine products. For instance, a hologram is used in credit cards and driver licenses to check their authenticity. Also, many countries have established a fight of counterfeit through strengthening laws protecting intellectual property.

Counterfeit and forgery have been in existence for the longest time ever; however, of late, it has increased due to the advancement of technology. In a criminal prosecution, it becomes challenging as many suspects defend themselves with claims that they used counterfeit goods or currency because they did not if they were illegal. In society, counterfeit and forgery affect the economy negatively as well as leading unnecessary sentences in courts of laws.