NATIONAL: The Australian Competition and Consumer (ACCC) has ramped up its case against the operators of a counterfeit designer clothing e-tailer. ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel has urged consumers who were misled by the Designer Brand Outlet website (designerbrandoutlet.com), in particular those who were unsuccessful in getting a refund where applicable, to contact the consumer watchdog.
As reported by Ragtrader Online last week, the ACCC recently obtained ex-parte injunctions in the Federal Court against the website's operators Ben Kloosterman and Lucy Shi. The action was launched after the organisation received a flurry of complaints from consumers across the globe, with many alleging they had not received goods ordered on the website or the goods were counterfeit.
At the Federal Court hearing, the ACCC indicated it would seek compensation for consumers affected by the operators of Designer Brand Outlet. Kloosterman and Shi's bank accounts were frozen to ensure funds would be available for any compensation orders that might be made by the court.
As a result of the orders made by the court Designer Brand Outlet, which sold brands such as Chloe, Marc Jacobs and Diane von Furstenberg, is no longer accessible.