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Officials at the Department of Economic Development (DED) were able to track and close down 8,894 accounts on various social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for peddling counterfeit goods last year.

The crackdown was part of protecting trademarks and eliminating practices that are harmful to e-commerce and the sustainability of businesses in Dubai, reported Khaleej Times.

If the followers of those accounts would be accounted, it would sum up to more than 94.5 million social media users, said the report.

More than 80% of them subscribed to Instagram accounts selling fake products, cited in departments Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) report.

Social networking accounts have come in handy for many who trade in counterfeit goods nowadays but the Electronic Compliance section maintain tight [monitoring] to prevent such misuse of modern technology and protect the reputation of Dubai as a competitive business hub, Khaleej Times quoted Ibrahim Behzad, Director of Intellectual Property Rights Protection Management in CCCP as saying.

Behzad said the number of social networking accounts closed down in last year was 200% higher compared to 2015 as more violators resorted to social media in 2016 thinking such sites are safe.

A number of villas, warehouses and apartments used to stock counterfeits were also raided through the reinforced monitoring efforts of DED.

Behzad urged the public not to fall prey to social networking accounts promoting counterfeit products.

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DED closed down 8894 social media accounts for peddling fake products - The Filipino Times (press release)