In Depth: Some of China’s Legion of Knockoff-Busters Turn to Extortion

The surging number of people looking to turn a profit by seeking out counterfeit goods on sale in China, especially those sold via livestreams, has sparked concerns that some anti-fakes crusaders may be extorting businesses.

Unlike most consumers, they actively seek out fake goods, false advertising and quality problems, leveraging their familiarity with the law and complaint procedures to pursue hefty compensation from rule-breaking businesses.