LG sued 22 companies selling counterfeit versions of its LG TONE Bluetooth stereo headset, and is seeking nearly $200 million in damages. The court order prohibits all further sales of counterfeit and knock-off LG TONE head-sets by the named defendants to unsuspecting shoppers. The infringing products at issue were largely sold by foreign companies, through various digital online marketplaces and platforms.

"Thousands of shoppers simply looking to purchase an LG headset have been duped and victimized by companies cashing in on makeshift and second-rate headsets," said Morris Lee, President of LG Electronics Mobile USA and Head of North America Mobile Business. "To prevent the further exploitation of consumers, LG is going after the companies attempting to take advantage of shoppers as well as the tremendous popularity of the TONE headsets."

LG also plans to pursue legal actions against vendors advertising and selling "liquidated" LG TONE products without disclosing to consumers that such products are not "new," are often damaged, refurnished, or repaired, and not covered by LG’s warranties, product guaranties and product return policies.

"Other lawsuits and actions are in the works as LG works to protect unassuming shoppers," Lee said. "This includes both large-scale actions, such
as the current suit, as well as targeted suits against those products that blatantly infringe our design patent rights and product configuration trademark rights."