AN INVENTOR has called on the government for more support in tackling “knock-off” products, after having an award-winning invention copied and sold online.

Steve Capon from Brighton developed a product called Matey Measure, which helps people to get a precise measurement from a tape measure.

His invention attracted a lot of interest and sales, as well as recently winning an innovation award by magazine Professional Builder.

However, after the Suez Canal blockage last year meant it took him another three months to get more stock, he said “a number of Chinese rip-offs started coming on the market”.

Steve said: “They advertised on Facebook to their users, but when I reported it to them, Facebook said they were doing nothing wrong.”

He said these products were often poorer quality and fall apart easily, which has led to poor reviews and complaints from confused customers, who believe the faulty product to be his.

Steve also claimed some of those selling unauthorised copies of his product have even used snippets of his own promotional videos in their marketing.

“I’ve even made a guest appearance in their video about their fraudulent product,” he said.

He also expressed fears for customers who may fall victim to spurious products, not only for their poor quality, but also the possibility that their bank details may end up in the wrong hands.

“People are being defrauded across the world - it isn’t just a British problem, it is a global problem," he said.

Steve said the government, as well as internet service providers, should be taking action to prevent consumers from being ripped off, and putting a warning on their websites to alert users that they are about to buy counterfeit goods.

He said: “That warning alone would stop 90 per cent of those sales. There’s no point trying to take these companies to court because you wouldn’t get them anyway.

“With this, the Western nations could fight back through Western platforms.”

Steve said if action isn’t taken, innovators and inventors could be put off from developing new products for fear that their intellectual property cannot be properly protected.

“The government needs to start getting their act together and start getting behind innovators,” he said.

A spokesman for the Intellectual Property Office said: "Inventors play a crucial role in the economy, and we take the issue of online infringement seriously. We work proactively with industry enforcement bodies to deliver a wide package of measures to help smaller enterprises protect their brands and unleash the value of their inventions.

"These include enforcement, educating the public, and specific guidance on how to report and remove listings from global e-commerce stores where a listing infringes intellectual property rights.

"The growth in e-commerce has increased consumers' choice and access to a wide range of goods and markets online. While the vast majority of e-commerce is legitimate, we publish advice for the public across our channels and through our partner organisations on how to spot a fake, with tips and guidance for consumers to help stay safe when shopping online."

Facebook was approached for comment.

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