We possess a vast experience at conducting common law searches and have been providing this service to our clients for many years. We can tailor make a common law search to suit our clients specific needs. A distinctive common law search would focus on the following:

With the rapid growth of Internet business and the capabilities of the police being limited, the responsibility is falling on businesses to enforce their IP rights on the Internet and engage professionals to gather evidence which could be used in the court.

If a third party is using your trade mark in a website address or on the portal itself or is making sale of infringing material through its website we can help you unearth who is behind these activities.

We offer a number of services for several internet based selling websites including a monitoring service to detect IP infringements, tracing stolen goods, pinpointing the culprits, collecting evidence and also making purchases to trap the infringers.

Our team of experts will mould the investigation to your needs. Our clients’ needs differ hugely so our first step is to make an assessment of the requirements and then apply the different skills and plans needed to get the job done.

In most of these cases, identifying the culprit behind the Internet profile is the first step, followed by evidence gathering. The results can vary according to the circumstances and can be anything from continued monitoring of the situation to making documents ready for the police to effect arrest.

We use our in-house databanks and search engines to locate the suspect company, individual or outlets behind the Internet presence.

We make discreet approaches directly to the target using our tested profiles or trading accounts made in other forums. Our experienced and professional investigators will engage in discreet conversation and thus unearth vital information.

We use specifically set up facade companies; which have separate telephone and fax lines, emails addresses, business cards, stationery and bank accounts that can trade in all currencies.

Retailers
Retail audits: Those who own their brands should manage the customer purchase experience, we can ensure the product is properly promoted and displayed at point of sale and meets the requirement of correct expiry date.

Market Surveys: GPM can conduct market surveys and sample purchase that gauges levels of counterfeit and/or contraband in the markets we operate.

Mystery Shopping: Our mystery shopping and test purchases verify the availability of the product in the market. In addition we can make sure that defective and damaged products are removed from the chain of supply.

Distributors
Distributor audits: audits of distributors under contract and also prospective distributors will provide clarity on how the product gets distributed, stored and sold and allow brand owners to respond to product or brand attacks.

Traders:

Trade Risk Study: We investigate to identify businesses and counter parties that are expected to engage in illicit trade.

Border Product testing: We work with custom authorities and brand owners to collect information on the origin and destination of goods to determine if the product is counterfeit.

Customs Help: For suspension and release procedures we assist brand owners with dealing with the local custom authorities, arrange samples of counterfeit and real products and impart training to authorities and law enforcement agencies to recognize counterfeit products.

We provide a comprehensive range of Trade Fair Watch Services all over India.
Posing as customers we comb the stands to identify counterfeit product on display or on offer. We collect samples and take photographs to use as evidence.

We can provide sufficient number of investigators to cover any size exhibition within the first few hours of opening. This early finding is desirable if the plan is to confiscate stock from these exhibitors or to take legal action against them at the exhibition.

By collecting evidence on these products early, any enforcement action taken at the shows has the maximum effect on other similar manufacturers. Some clients like to publicize these seizures as a wider deterrent, others do not.

Many Trade Fairs, especially those in tough areas provide great opportunities to identify the manufacturers directly or through the exhibitors.

In these cases we carry the investigations on afterwards, often building on introductions we make at the fairs by using appropriate cover companies.

This is a very effective methodology with powerful results. It allows the factory and the exporter to be targeted as well as any major trader involved.