In the current market, advertising information about anti-counterfeiting stamp trading services is rampant online, even marketed as issued by the Ministry of Public Security. This is the problem troubles the authorities greatly.
The world of anti-counterfeiting stamp
With just a few simple keywords such as “make anti-counterfeiting stamps”, anti-counterfeiting stamp printing unit”, a series of websites that accept jobs will appear with the invitation “fast printing, cheap, free design”. These companies operate very openly online, it is not difficult for buyers to get a stamp for their products. CAND Newspaper reporters have discovered that the more stamps a customer buys, the more the stamp seller benefits. Therefore, there will be thousands and thousands of stamps in the hands of businesses, which can be affixed to any product.
Stamps with the words “Ministry of Public Security”
Anti-counterfeiting stamps pretending to be police
The Institute of Criminal Science – the Ministry of Public Security reportedly formally ceased research on anti-counterfeiting stamps as of February 1, 2017, and inked contracts to provide them to enterprises. At this time, only authorized anti-counterfeit stamp printing units, organizations, and corporations are allowed to print these stamps in compliance with the legislation. As a result, as of February 2017, there has never been a stamp product sold under the moniker “anti-counterfeiting stamp of the Ministry of Public Security.”
The Ministry of Public Security’s anti-counterfeiting stamp trading services are still heavily advertised on numerous websites, nonetheless. It demonstrates how anti-counterfeit stamp manufacturing companies have profited from the Ministry of Public Security’s sterling reputation to keep supplying this product even though it is no longer available on the market. In the end, the only one who loses out is the consumer because selling inferior items is profitable for both the company and the stamp printing unit.
How do consumers check anti-counterfeiting stamps?
There are many opinions that it is possible to use a fluorescent flashlight (a type of lamp for illuminating counterfeit money)to check whether it is real or fake. When shining a light on the serial number on the stamp, the serial number will glow if it is a real stamp. However, Mr. Nguyen Viet Hong – Chairman of the Board of Directors, General Director of CHG Company, a company licensed to print anti-counterfeiting stamps – said that infrared lights only work with technology application stamps. glow and has no effect on stamps using other printing technologies.
Mr. Hong said that in the market there are many situations, some companies that print ordinary packages and labels also receive anti-counterfeiting stamps. “Currently, there are only about 10 companies licensed to print anti-counterfeiting stamps and apply water, heat, glow, SMS electronic stamps, 2D barcode stamps, seven-color hologram stamps… Each technology has its own way of recognition. Knowing the difference, it is also difficult for consumers to recognize and distinguish”, Mr. Hong added.
What future for anti-counterfeiting stamps?
Currently, it is far too frequent for anti-counterfeiting stamps to be faked. The rationale is because information is kept statically on the stamp, which is the same approach used by all of these methods (information can be in many forms such as patterns, paths, encrypted symbols). In actuality, any publicly accessible static information can be copied, according to Tran Dinh Ngoc, general director of Onyx Vietnam Joint Stock Company.
In order to address this issue, Onyx Joint Stock Company has suggested a solution that combines stamp-chip technology with a blockchain system that records historical event traceability data. This is a novel idea that combines rewritable memory chips with the robust security features of the blockchain technology and changing dynamic code.
Everyone can easily check the validity of this stamp on smartphone. The discovery of a violation is almost immediately notified to the parties involved. Nowadays more than 80% of smartphones can read the stamp, which is the strength when using this technology.
Hopefully this is the beginning of a new, more sustainable future for Vietnam’s anti-counterfeiting stamp technology.
