ANNOUNCEMENT: IP PI Blog – Now – IP PROBE Blog
Dear Subscriber: Just a brief note to let you know that I have changed the blog’s name from “IP PI”Continue Reading
Author: Ron Alvarez
Ron Alvarez is an IP investigations and protection consultant and writer in New York City. He is a former NYPD lieutenant where he investigated robbery, narcotics, internal affairs, and fine art theft cases. Ron has since coordinated the private investigation of international fraud and money laundering cases, as well as IP-related investigations and research involving the four pillars of IP: copyright, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets.
Ron is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and earned a B.A. in Government and Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. He has written a number of articles for various investigative publications, as well as published "The World of Intellectual Property (IP) Protection and Investigations" in November 2021.
Chinese State-Sponsored Espionage (a.k.a. IP Theft) Survey
In a recent article in the July 24, 2021, edition of The Economist, titled, “Chinese cyber-attacks—Ctrl-alt-denounce—After failing to dissuade cyber-attacks,Continue Reading
You See, But What Do You Observe? by Christina Lekati
You See, But What Do You Observe? How Observation and Inference Skills Can Aid Investigations & Analytic Work by: ChristinaContinue Reading
PI License May be Required to Investigate Digital Copyright Infringement — If Evidence is Used in a Court Proceeding
A recent Torrent Freak article titled, “Rightscorps Tracks Alleged Pirates Without a Private Investigators License, RCN Argues”, raises a veryContinue Reading
Microchip Counterfeiters—Making a Play
So, we—as IP protection and investigation professionals—swim in the polluted waters of criminals that counterfeit clothing, jewelry, toys, car brakes,Continue Reading
PBS Ransomware Article—Solid Up-to-Date Source of Information for IP Professionals
If you are learning about ransomware attacks in bits-and-pieces over the last few months, yesterday’s PBS article titled, “Why ransomwareContinue Reading
IP Lawyer is First Call Made by Ransomware Victim
The attached article titled, “Why a trucking company called a lawyer minutes after a ransomware attack,” published in Freight WavesContinue Reading
Litigation Support: IP Attorneys and Investigators with Non-U.S. Clients – Gather U.S. Based Evidence Applying 28 USC 1782
Three years ago, I published a post titled, “What is 28 USC 1782? And Why Should IP Professionals Care.” InContinue Reading
Darkside Hackers Learn Bitcoin Ransom Payment Not Out of DOJ Reach
In view of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) successful seizure of most of the cryptocurrency paid ($2.3 million) toContinue Reading
Audio Visual Piracy – Cybercrime as a Service
As I mentioned in an earlier post, in March of this year, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) published aContinue Reading
5th Anniversary of IP Probe Blog
Dear IP Probe – Blog Reader: I hope this message finds you and yours healthy and safe. With your permission,Continue Reading
“Cyber Attacks for Ransom: Exponentially Growing Problem.”
In view of the recent ransomware attack of Colonial Pipeline in the United States, it is a good time toContinue Reading
Copyright Trolls and Their Sinister Ways–UPDATE
In September 2019, I published a post under the same title. The post highlighted the strategy used by attorneys retainedContinue Reading
World Intellectual Property (IP) Day — 2021
Dear IP PI Blog Readers: I just want to take a moment to acknowledge this special day, April 26, 2021Continue Reading
In Pursuit of Counterfeiters
The following post provides the link to an interactive article written by Ezra Marcus and published yesterday in the NewContinue Reading
UK Report: Taking the Profit Out of AV Piracy – REVIEW – Introduction
Last month the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) published a seventy-page, comprehensive report titled, “Taking the Profit Out of IntellectualContinue Reading
The Counterfeiter Hall of Shame – Pt 2: CASE STUDY
In this month’s Brand Protection Professional (BPP) issue, a case study titled, “Combating Counterfeit Medical Devices,” details the backstory ofContinue Reading
The Counterfeiter Hall of Shame: Recent Induction
On March 5th a Florida woman was sentenced to six months in prison for selling counterfeit medical/surgical pads she purchasedContinue Reading
Why Employees Must Be Hacker-Detectors
On January 27th, a coordinated global law enforcement operation took down a notorious malware network that is said to haveContinue Reading
Trade Secrets Thief Sentenced to 30 Months for Medical Institution Theft
On February 1st, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the sentencing of a trade secrets thief to 30 monthsContinue Reading
To Catch a Trade Secrets Thief – The Computer Forensics Way
On January 13th, the FBI arrested a former medical director of a pharmaceutical company in New Jersey for allegedly stealingContinue Reading
Persistent Counterfeiters: U.S. State Department Employee and Spouse
On March 18, 2021, a U.S. State Department employee and his spouse will be sentenced by a U.S. District CourtContinue Reading
Remote Investigations
FTI Consulting, Global has written a timely and informative series of articles surrounding the issue of conducting remote investigations. TheContinue Reading
U.S. Anti-Piracy Legislation Passed – Illegal Streaming Penalties Increased
On December 27, 2020, a new section to the U.S. “Protecting Lawful Streaming Act” was signed into law to punishContinue Reading
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Dear IP PI Blog Readers: It’s nearly the end of the year – and what a year it’s been. JustContinue Reading
McAffee Report: The Hidden Costs of Cybercrime
The recently published McAffee Report, “The Hidden Costs of Cybercrime” is a sobering and insightful analysis of the current stateContinue Reading
Ransomware Payments: Know Whom You’re Paying!
In a recent Cafe Insider-Cyber Space podcast interview, “Why you should be paying attention to ransomware cyber attacks,” John Carlin,Continue Reading
Cyber Attacks for Ransom: Exponentially Growing Problem (Post 3 of 3)
HACKED COMPANIES CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE “Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place” is definedContinue Reading
U.S. Private Investigator—Former Law Enforcement Officer—Arrested for Conspiring with Chinese Foreign Agents in an illegal Chinese “Fox Hunt” operation
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the indictment of eight (8) persons (five of which were arrested)Continue Reading
Brands vs Domain Names: Webinar–Global IP Panel, November 9th
Distinguished Panel to Discuss ‘Brands vs. Domain Names’ on November 9th at 11am EST Experts in IP law and domainContinue Reading