Lexmark Brand Protection – Check to protect
Lexmark’s Brand Protection Efforts
Protecting the Lexmark Brand against counterfeit and grey market activity is very important.
Lexmark is taking action against counterfeiters worldwide, checking domestic and global markets for manufacturers and sellers of trademark-infringing counterfeit cartridges and patent-infringing clone/compatible cartridges.
Lexmark recently won a General Exclusion Order (GEO) from the International Trade Commission (ITC) that prohibits the import of infringing cartridges. As a result of this GEO, it is illegal to sell these infringing items.
- Lexmark is protecting our legitimate resellers by identifying the sources of counterfeit and grey market cartridges and taking action worldwide.
- The ITC’s General Exclusion Order helps us keep illegal supplies from being imported.
- Lexmark has also taken action against cartridge counterfeiters all over the world to keep these illegal supplies from being sold in other countries as well.
- We continue to take legal action against entities which violate Lexmark’s intellectual property rights, both domestically and overseas.
Lexmark’s Efforts Help Everyone
- Lexmark is combatting counterfeit and grey market sales of cartridges in order to maintain a level playing field.
- Lexmark’s efforts help protect our legitimate channel partners and resellers against unfair price variations and lost margins by exposing the sources of counterfeit and grey market supplies.
- Lexmark wants to protect everyone -both resellers and end users- from sub-standard cartridges that are being “passed off” as Genuine Lexmark.
Resellers Need to Know
- Be aware that resellers are liable if they sell trademark-infringing or patent-infringing goods.
- Depending on the jurisdiction, penalties for selling trademark-infringing or patentinfringing goods may include treble damages—meaning that damage awards could be tripled.
- Beware of fraudulent indemnification offers because the suppliers of infringing products likely cannot protect you from lawsuits despite promises they may make.
- Beware of out of region offers: Using cartridges from the wrong region can render your customer’s device inoperable. Be sure to check that the part number is right for your region and know the source of the cartridges before you buy.
Is It Genuine Lexmark?
Here are 5 easy ways to check that you have a Genuine Lexmark cartridge:
Price- If you think the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Be familiar with market prices for Genuine Lexmark cartridges before making a purchase.
Point of Purchase- Make sure you buy products only from Lexmark or an authorised reseller or distributor. Be wary of international trade and auction web sites offering Lexmark cartridges.
Packaging- Packaging that appears to have been tampered with, re-taped, resealed or looks reused may not be a Genuine Lexmark product.
Colour Shifting Security Labels- Lexmark uses colour shifting security labels on most of its printer supplies packaging to help you identify Genuine Lexmark products.
When viewed straight on: Colour shifting security label appears clear. The raised diamond and L characters appear red and gold.
When tilted: The stripe changes to a brilliant blue. The raised characters turn blue, then silver.
Serial Numbers- Lexmark incorporates serial numbers on most of its printer supplies packaging. Serialisation is a global track and trace system that provides beginning to end traceability of Lexmark, distributors and resellers and customers.
Check to Protect,
Report to Support
Support our efforts to protect the Lexmark brand by reporting suspicious products or activities. When you suspect a counterfeit or grey market product or efforts to traffic these, here are three easy ways to report it:
- Email Lexmark at qcheck@lexmark.com
- Contact the Imaging Supplies Coalition at 1-941-961-7897 or by email at iscwebcontact@aol.com
- Contact Infolex S.A. at +30 210 6722230 or info@infolex.gr
ITC Ruling Highlights:
The ITC issued a General Exclusion Order that bans all imports of infringing cartridges by any party, as well as a Cease and Desist Order that bars the named parties from selling infringing cartridges.
The accused cartridges covered by the ITC’s orders include:
- Remanufactured / Clone / Compatible third-party laser toner cartridges
- 100% new third-party laser toner cartridges
- Counterfeit Lexmark laser toner cartridges
- Empty toner cartridges or cartridge components first sold outside the United States
Counterfeit and Grey Market Supplies
Counterfeit
“Counterfeit” means a third-party product misrepresented as an original or genuine Lexmark cartridge. “Fake”, “knock-off” and “clone” are also words that come to mind. These are usually inferior and may cause problems for the end user.
Clone
Third-party products, also described and sold as “compatible”, “new build”, “new mold” or “100% new”, these cartridges have been found to infringe Lexmark’s intellectual property. Clone/compatible cartridges are sold in a variety of different packaging.
Grey Market
These are genuine Lexmark goods made expressly for one geographical region, but diverted and sold elsewhere.
