Why Serial Numbers Might Not Be Efficient for Authentication 🔢

The device you’re using to read this post has a serial number engraved somewhere on it. Take a quick glance around, and you could probably count at least a dozen other items with serial numbers - unless you’re taking a hike in the forest (in which case, you shouldn’t be reading LinkedIn - enjoy your time!). These numbers are there for a good reason. Emerging at the dawn of the industrial revolution, serial numbers have proven themselves as a convenient tool for enabling manufacturers to perform quality control, recall management, warranty service, and product authentication.

Back then, using serial numbers for authentication was a common practice. The uniqueness of each serial number provided a simple way to identify and verify products. Manufacturers could log each number, ensuring that only products with registered serial numbers were genuine. Consumers could then cross-check the authenticity by contacting the customer service department and providing the serial number for verification. This approach worked well since people had limited access to machinery and it was hard to replicate this process externally.

As you can imagine, the world has changed since then. Production has become more accessible than ever, and counterfeiters use this to their advantage. They can produce not only goods that closely resemble authentic items (read more about this in our post about superfakes) but also easily replicate serial numbers. Even serial numbers with holograms and tamper-evident labels can be copied. All of this makes serial numbers no longer a reliable way to authenticate a product.

How O’Legit Can Help

At O’Legit, we understand that serial numbers are no longer a reliable method for authenticating luxury goods in today’s sophisticated market. That’s why we have developed an advanced solution to combat counterfeits through our digital fingerprinting technology, SurfID™. 

We scan the surface of each legitimate product to create a unique digital fingerprint, capturing every characteristic to ensure a highly accurate identification. Later, the product can be scanned again to verify its authenticity by matching its current state with the stored digital fingerprint. Even if a counterfeit item appears extremely similar to the original item, we can detect it.

If you’re interested in learning more about how our solution can help your brand fight against counterfeits, let’s chat!

#CounterfeitPrevention #BrandProtection #LuxuryGoods #Innovation #Technology #AntiCounterfeiting