The amount of knock-offs have increased rapidly in the Nordic countries, and will continue to increase in the near future.

Hasbro takes this very seriously. Hasbro Nordic needs your help to deal with this problem, and here's how you can help:

* A knock-off is basically any toy that makes you think of Transformers but isn't. Knock-offs may include one or several of these elements: the same or very similar logo, packaging, catchphrases (such as "more than meets the eye" for example), the actual toy itself (molds, logos, colouring, etc.) This goes for all Transformers toys, including G1!

* Post a description in this thread about the toy; where you found it and when, what it looks like, and so on. Please post a picture of it as well if possible. NTFA staff will then forward the information to Hasbro Nordic so that they can send out one of their representatives to gather evidence and discuss the matter with the store. You'll be completely anonymous!

* If you feel hesitant about a specific item, no worries! We appreciate any info you can provide us with, so go ahead and make the post about that item! Better one time too many... right?

well.. here goes then..





picture has taken this morning in Maxi Makasiini Iisalmi Finland. toys, with the same looking packagin are also in sale Maxi Makasiini Kiuruvesi Finland.
these toys looks same as TF Movie Robots, head, feet, hands colour scheme.. only the name is different (Gear robot)


also, K-Supermarket Mehevä Iisalmi and K-Supermarket Peltonen Kiuruvesi have been selling G2 look a like tank Megatron a while now (yellow and green) i'm not sure do they still have those on sale, because it has been while, when i have been visiting in those stores

Thanks Heidi! I'll forward this info to Hasbro Nordic immediately!

I'm not sure if these are still there but when i was in Linköping they had some knock off Robotmasters at the Sagoland store there.
It's right next to Toysrus.
They have had them there since at least 2006 when i first was there and i have seen them there every year during easter when we go there to visit relatives.
Sorry no pics.
hope that this was helpfull.

I've seen those, too, Carl! I went to Göteborg at the start of this month and saw (at least) one of the basic jets (forget his name) and Doubleface on cards. They looked pretty good, quality-wise, so these bootleggers have definitely been spending a lot of money on them. But not as much as they will need to pay to Hasbro in stolen property...

I must admit, I'm actually surprised by this.

TFW generally doesn't seem to care one way or the other in regards to knockoffs unless it tries to replicate the look of the authentic thing down to the packaging where it clearly implies that it attempts to deceive potential customers, thetf.net feels the same but the general negative attitude towards knockoffs is much more negative, but this forum is the first one that actually takes an active stance against the damn things.

Found these at ICA Kvantum in Åhus, unfortunately the light in the first picture hit right at a picture of ROTF Megs. If you look close you see it.

Wow, those are absolutely blatant knock offs! I will report this to Hasbro Nordic! Good find!

Well, the official policy of the NTFA is that we don't condone KOs in any form, and as such we have made an agreement with Hasbro Nordic in helping to track down KO product that finds it way to nordic stores. KOs may be cheaper than the real deal, but it takes income away from Hasbro, which - worst case scenario - could lead to absolutely no TF product on shelves (as opposed to "very little/random product", I know, but you know what I mean ).

Besides, producing and distributing knock-off products are against the law.

"New Wheelie"?!? Hehehe....

"New Soundwave". Wasn't that the name of Soundblaster in that horrible english dub of the Headmasters?

Over in the US they can probably shut down stores and people dealing with knock-off products easily, but I'm not so sure they have the necessary judicial protection of intellectual property and brand merchandise over here. I'm not sure if Hasbro UK/Nordic would bother to go after the "perpetrators" dealing with counterfeit products. ICA AB and other store chains retailing these most likely bought the knock-offs from the importer in good faith, or they can easily claim to have done so, and Hasbro must therefore go after the importer and not the store chains themselves.

I know that Hasbro won a lawsuit against a Finnish toy seller last year for selling knock-offs. Unfortunately, I can't remember the specifics.

Stolpen, thank you for your contribution! I've forwarded the info and pictures to Hasbro Nordic

It was a fluke that I found it, I never go past the, well basically non-existant, toy section at this particulare store and if I do I never look at what's there. But forgot to take something so I cut back through that line and there was one of those lying on the floor so I couldn't miss it

True. Last year Hasbro Nordic won against a danish importer of KOs, and the importer had to pay lost income to Hasbro - and nothing was really done against the producer, which i suspect was located in China, which are pretty much untouchable in regards to lawsuits...

So year, Hasbro (Nordic) are very vigilant and proactive in dealing with counterfitters.

LoL "children in the age of 59" ... "we've done business with them in the last 1015years"- Ooh man I laughed sooo hard.

http://www.kotoys.com/forum/index.php/topic,1646.0.html

It seems that the KO Fort Max was a false rumour. Anyway... I'm gonna buy a mini-Masterpiece Optimus Prime instead!

Edit: Oops I posted this in the wrong thread. Please feel free to delete this post.

These knock off/partial knock off transformers showed up at my local Konsum:



And:

Those Trans-Robot X - are the moulds TF-based on those? I am not all that good at recognising the most recent TF designs, so I'm just wondering.

Nicely spotted, though! Will forward that to the right authorities.

You are right, those moulds are probably their own design (or at least not Hasbro/Takara) but I included those mostly because of the use of some of the artwork on the packaging; movie-07 Arcee and a cybertron Evac, not sure about the other ones.

True. Using copyrighted artwork like that is also a big no-no.

Hasbro Nordic is looking into it now. Thanks for posting!

This isn't just for TFs, right?