Estée Lauder cracks down on counterfeit Mac products

Beauty brand Estée Lauder has cracked down on online counterfeiters selling fake Mac cosmetic products.

According to a court filing, the defendants reside in China or other foreign jurisdictions and are an interrelated group working together.

The lawsuit was filed at the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division on Friday, July 14.

“Mac products have become enormously popular and even iconic, driven by Estée Lauder’s arduous quality standards and innovative design. Among the purchasing public, genuine Mac products are instantly recognisable as such,” said the claim.

Estée Lauder owns numerous trademarks at the US Patent and Trademark Office, including number 1,642,532 (a ‘Mac’ trademark) for classes 3, 16 and 21.

The beauty brand alleged that the online sellers designed the internet stores to appear as authorised online retailers, using content and design elements that make it difficult for consumers to distinguish.

“Defendants create the defendant internet stores by the hundreds and design them to appear to be selling genuine Mac products, while actually selling counterfeit Mac products to unknowing consumers,” said the suit.

The suit added that many of the defendants “further perpetuate the illusion of legitimacy” by offering customer services.

Estée Lauder is seeking injunctive relief, transfer of the infringing domains, an order that online marketplace platforms shut down the defendants’ sites, profits and damages.