Wang earns a controversial living seeking compensation from retailers for the purchase of counterfeit goods

He won over 10 cases complaining about fake telephones and won over 100,000 yuan (S12,000) in compensation.

WHILE most people will do anything to avoid buying fake goods, Wang Haidong, a 29-year-old local man, makes shopping for "fakes" a daily event.

"Shopping is not a relaxing pastime for me, it is my job. I make a living buying fake goods," said Wang who is an occupational fake-goods buyer.

Since quitting his job more than four years ago, he has thrown himself into this unique vocation. Wang has won over 200,000 yuan ($24,000) to date, he said reluctantly.

Financial return

He is making much better money now, than when he was employed in jobs such as a labourer, waiter and security guard.

Purchasing fakes provides him with a controversial way of earning money. Wang uncovers fraudulent goods in stores, then demands compensation from the retailer.

Under the law, the retailer must refund the money for the goods and also pay an extra amount of compensation to the consumer.

So if Wang Haidong buys 10 yuan ($1.2) in fake goods, he can get 20 yuan ($2.4) back.

Many people think Wang is a terrible guy who is greedy for money. They look down on him. Retailers call him a snake.

"I get the money legally. I think I am much better than those selling fake products," Wang said.

Wang got the inspiration for his avant-guard job from Wang Hai, a Beijing man who became the country's first occupational fake-goods buyer.

"If he can do it, why can't I?" he asked himself and started on his new endeavor four and half years ago.

Wang says he is a man of bravery, pointing to the time in 1994 when the Huangpu District government honoured him for single-handedly apprehending a thief.

Now as a fake-goods buyer, he puts all his energy into pursuing the "thieves" that deal in fake products.

"Don't think the money is easy to earn," Wang said, "First I have to learn a lot about how to discriminate a fake good." He also said he must constantly study laws and regulations. "I never studied as hard as I do now. I feel like I am preparing for a university examination," he joked.

Wang started with smuggled telephones and fax machines from 1996 to 2000.

He won over 10 cases complaining about fake telephones and won over 100,000 yuan ($12,000) in compensation.

First bitterness

Wang said he has won 99 per cent of his cases. But in 1999, he lost a judgment for the first time. On March 15 that year, Wang bought over 2,000 yuan ($240) of imported earphones in a store in Huangpu District without witnesses to his purchases. When he took the store to court, the owner argued that Wang had actually switched the legal goods for illegal goods after leaving the store. It was the first time that Wang faced such accusations.

"After that, when I go shopping I always bring along two public notaries to take photos and collect proof," he said, even though the fee is 1,000 yuan ($120) every time.

Since pursuing this unusual occupation, Wang said he has met many strange or even dangerous situations.

"I often receive anonymous calls," he said, "They warned me over the phone that there were many traffic accidents in Shanghai or that the Huangpu River has killed countless numbers of people up to now."

Wang said he changes his mobile phone number frequently. He also never gives his home address to people.

"Even my parents don't support me, they want me to change to an 'ordinary' job," he said.

Controversial case

"But I won't give up this job especially now," he said.

Wang has turned his focus to health care products allegedly being misrepresented to the public through false advertisement.

If the function of health care products described in the advertisement surpass the 22 possible functions regulated by the law, the advertisement can be claimed as cheating consumers.

On September 24 last year, Wang bought a total of 52,000 yuan ($6,300) of famous heath care products in Hualian Supermarket and got an advertisement from the shell.

"The advertisement said the product had four functions while the Ministry of Health only approves two," Wang said, "The company is definitely overstating the product's uses. I want them refund 104,000 yuan ($12,600) in total."

He took the retailer to the court immediately, but lost the first judgment.

Wang said he had confidence that he could win the second judgment. Now he is busy planning for it. "I can't lose it or else others will think that I am a swindler," he said.