UGG and Law Enforcement Unearth Bonanza of Fakes

In its continued push to protect its customers from the dangers of counterfeit products, UGG® (a division of Deckers Brands, NYSE: DECK) has once again prevailed this week on Long Island, NY. Partnering with local and federal law enforcement agencies, the brand helped to identify over 3,660 pairs of fake UGG® products meant to deceive its consumers.

National Counterfeit Operation Disrupted

While serving an eviction notice on Long Island for failure to pay rent, law enforcement discovered an established counterfeit operation which uncovered more than 3,660 pairs of counterfeit UGG® boots worth more than an estimated $700,000. The raid disrupted an organized operation that assembled and shipped counterfeit goods across the country. The total seizure included counterfeits of other premium brands estimated to be worth over $1 Million.

"As a leader in Intellectual Property Rights investigations, HSI is committed to dismantling organizations that seek to sell inferior counterfeit goods to unwitting consumers,” said Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New York which was involved in the raid. "Our partnerships with industry help all of us in the end by safeguarding the US economy as well as public safety."

Counterfeit Education, Awareness and Protection

Keeping its customers at the center of everything it does, UGG® is outspoken in educating consumers about the prevalence and methods of counterfeit ecommerce websites, which continue to fool unsuspecting customers. The brand’s Counterfeit Education tab on UGG.com provides tips on how to identify fakes and how to get reimbursed if you fall victim, educates consumers on the dangers of supporting counterfeiters, links to its dedicated social pages for reporting fake sites and a list of authorized retailers who can guarantee authentic purchases.

“Since 2009, we have taken legal action against over 60,000 websites selling counterfeit products, we have removed over 590,000 counterfeit listings on various online sites such as Taobao and eBay and seized over 2.2 million counterfeit products before they entered the market,” says Dave Powers, CEO and President of Deckers Brands. “We will continue to support successful raids and website takedowns as these efforts are part of our commitment to our customers.”

Impact of Counterfeiting

Many consumers may not know that buying counterfeit products has a significant impact on the global economy, eliminating tens of thousands of jobs with legitimate businesses and costing the economy an estimated $600 billion of revenue a year. Worse yet, they are not accountable to human rights and environmental regulations nor do they adhere to child labor laws, anti-sweatshop laws, or restricted substances laws. This puts workers, the environment and consumers at risk.

For more information on UGG® anti-counterfeit efforts or to verify or report a site, please visit the brand’s dedicated anti-counterfeit social community at https://www.facebook.com/UGG®anticounterfeiting and https://twitter.com/UGG®AntiCntrfeit.

About The UGG® Brand

Founded in 1978 in California, the UGG® brand has built a reputation on luxury and comfort by using only the finest materials in the world, employing the highest standards of craftsmanship, and delivering new and innovative styles. The UGG® brand is recognized as a premium lifestyle brand with more than $1 billion in annual sales, offering men’s, women’s and kid’s footwear as well as loungewear, outerwear, home products, cold weather accessories and handbags. The brand’s concept and outlet stores offer the ultimate brand experience with 137 locations worldwide, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. For more information, visit our website, www.UGG®australia.com. @UGG®Australia #THISISUGG®

About Deckers Brands

Deckers Brands is a global leader in designing, marketing and distributing innovative footwear, apparel and accessories developed for both everyday casual lifestyle use and high performance activities. The Company’s portfolio of brands includes UGG®, Teva®, Sanuk®, Ahnu®, and HOKA ONE ONE®. Deckers Brands products are sold in more than 50 countries and territories through select department and specialty stores, 142 Company-owned and operated retail stores, and select online stores, including Company-owned websites. Deckers Brands has a 40-year history of building niche footwear brands into lifestyle market leaders attracting millions of loyal consumers globally. For more information, please visit www.deckers.com

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