Skip to main content

Ask a Lawyer·Intellectual Property

Intellectual PropertyAnswered

How do I stop someone selling counterfeit versions of my brand in the UAE?

Asked by Anonymous·Jun 26, 2026·1 answers
A trademark owner has discovered fake products bearing their brand on sale locally and wants to know the enforcement options.

This answer is AI-generated by LEXAI. It is general legal information, not legal advice — verify anything you act on with a licensed UAE lawyer. How LEXAI uses AI

1 answers

Best answer
L
LEXAI

AI-generated answer

Jun 26, 2026
If counterfeits of your brand are being sold in the UAE, you generally have several enforcement routes that can run in parallel. First, a registered trademark is the foundation — it gives you the clearest legal basis to act. From there you can file a complaint with the economic development department or the Ministry of Economy, which handle commercial-fraud and trademark matters and can inspect and seize counterfeit goods; pursue a civil claim to stop the activity and seek damages; or, for counterfeiting, support criminal action, since faking a registered mark can be a criminal offence under the federal trademark law. You can also record your trademark with UAE customs so that suspected counterfeit shipments can be detained at the border. The right mix depends on whether the goods are imported, warehoused, or sold in shops or online, and on the evidence you can gather. Acting quickly and preserving evidence — samples, invoices, listings, locations — strengthens any of these routes. A verified UAE IP lawyer on LEXAI can advise which combination of administrative, civil, criminal and customs measures fits your situation.
Helpful (0)

Facing something similar?

Describe your own situation below. Your details go to our team, and a suitable lawyer in the LEXAI directory may receive them so they can contact you about it.

Pick your situation so your enquiry can reach a suitable lawyer in the LEXAI directory who works in that area.

Your details stay private and are used only to handle your enquiry. Your enquiry may be offered to a suitable lawyer automatically, and may be offered to another if there is no response, so a lawyer can contact you about it. Privacy policy

Related Questions

Underlying law

Keep reading

Real Estate Property

What Is Freehold Property in Dubai? Ownership Rights, Where It Applies and Leasehold Compared

Freehold in Dubai is ownership with no end date, recorded by the Dubai Land Department. Most foreign buyers can hold it only on plots the Ruler has designated. Here is what it gives you, how to check a unit, and how it differs from a leasehold of up to 99 years, usufruct and musataha.

5 min read

Corporate Commercial

Tax Residency Certificate in the UAE: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

Who counts as a UAE tax resident, from the 183-day and 90-day tests to the centre-of-interests rule, and how to apply on EmaraTax: the documents, the AED fees, the timelines and the mistakes that cost a non-refundable fee.

5 min read

Corporate Commercial

General Trading Licence in Dubai: What You Can Trade, What Needs Extra Approval

A Dubai general trading licence covers any allowed goods under one activity. Regulated goods still need their own authority's NOC, and prohibited or counterfeit goods never qualify. Here is how to read the official DET record and check your products.

5 min read