Press Release

CheckMEND SERVICE ADDRESSES ONLINE AUCTION SITES' PROBLEMS

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

Gloucestershire, UK, June 19, 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.”

How CheckMEND Works

A search on www.checkmend.com costs just $2.99, with advantageous pricing when multiple checks are made. When users opt to conduct several checks to validate more than one item, they benefit from the convenience of a single credit card transaction for no additional cost. For more information, visit www.checkmend.com. Those using the online system will receive a printable certificate of authenticity, a copy of which is held on the CheckMEND system. Every check includes a printable comprehensive history report showing all the information available on the system.

View sample report.
Checks can be carried out by entering a serial or identification number.
Within seconds, CheckMEND is able to tell the user if the item has had previous owners (a common fraud is to sell refurbished goods as new), is reported stolen or lost, has been subject to an insurance claim and, in the case of cellular phones, if the phone is barred or has had its identity altered - all information that may be relevant to a prospective purchaser.
Sellers can enhance the item they are selling by running a check before listing and then by quoting the report reference. Any buyer can see the report online by quoting the reference number on the CheckMEND site.
Items can be reported as stolen to CheckMEND by the public via www.immobilize.net which also hosts the world’s largest possession ownership database with more than 20 million registered users worldwide.

http://www.checkmend.com/us/checkmend_demo

The CheckMEND system continually acquires data in real time on all aspects of personal property ownership and associated criminality from feeds worldwide. At an average rate of more than 150,000 records a week, it is the most comprehensive system of its kind.

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.

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