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Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fake NFL merch scams are surging. Here's how to avoid getting duped
NFL fans, beware. Counterfeit scams on NFL merchandise are becoming more common, according to a study from The study analyzed 550,000 online conversations in the past year for all 32 NFL teams, monitoring "heated debates" about fake knock-off products. Advertisement This year, federal officials seized almost $40 million in fake sports gear, according to a February news release from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 'With the rise of e-commerce, it has become incredibly easy for criminals to create fake websites, online marketplaces, and social media ads offering deceptive deals with the sole intention of scamming sports fans,' Ivan J. Arvelo, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, said in a news release. Philadelphia Eagles counterfeit merchandise at an anti-counterfeiting press conference at the Phoenix Convention Center. 'That's why our partnership with sports leagues, such as the NFL, is critical in our efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of counterfeit merchandise and help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.' Advertisement The study reveals which NFL fan bases have fallen victim to fake merch scams the most. Which team topped the charts? Philadelphia Eagles fans – with 41,660 online conversations about fake merchandise online – rank among the top fanbases that get scammed, the study said. Eagles fans also suffer the highest rate of negative sentiment in those online conversations, with 38% of them expressing frustration or disappointment. Other teams with significant chatter include the Kansas City Chiefs (28,442 conversations, 15% negative), Dallas Cowboys (24,828 conversations, 18% negative), and Pittsburgh Steelers (22,844 conversations, 16% negative). Advertisement The biggest victims of fake NFL merchandise scams are these fanbases: Teams Fake merchandise conversations Percent of negative conversations online in the last 12 months Philadelphia Eagles 41,660 38% Kansas City Chiefs 28,442 15% Dallas Cowboys 24,828 18% Pittsburgh Steelers 22,844 16% New York Giants 20,540 14% New York Jets 19,516 13% San Francisco 49ers 19,060 12% Cleveland Browns 19,060 16% Detroit Lions 18,989 14% How to protect yourself from counterfeit merchandise According to the NFL, here are a few tips for sports fans when making purchases: Only shop at trusted retail locations. Be cautious when shopping online. If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Criminals often use legitimate product photos on their websites despite selling a fraudulent product. Consumers should use caution before buying expensive items from unfamiliar online sellers. Purchasing merchandise from authorized dealers that are reputable sources for quality merchandise helps ensure that your transaction will be safe, and concerns will be handled responsibly. Look out for poor quality, sloppy stitching, missing security labels or irregular markings on apparel. Check your online bank statements. Keep a record of purchases and copies of confirmation pages and compare them to bank statements. If there is a discrepancy, consumers should report it immediately. Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Inside the NFL counterfeit crisis: Tips, stats and $40M in fake merch
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
Super Bowl Safety: Law enforcement cracking down counterfeit merchandise
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Another concern for law enforcement is the potential for are on the lookout for any fake Super Bowl tickets and merchandise. 'Our message is simple. Don't put yourself at risk. Watch out for criminals who are looking to scam you and please buy tickets only from reliable sources,' said NFL Vice President of Legal Affairs Michael Buchwald. During Super Bowl festivities the NFL and law enforcement say counterfeit merchandise sellers are all over the city. Additional Department of Homeland Security agents in town to keep Super Bowl safe Over the last year alone, agencies seized close to $40 million worth of counterfeit items, which also includes five fake Lombardi trophies. 'U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security investigations seized thousands of Chevys containing goods. That equates to over 200,000 counterfeit items, including jerseys, t-shirts, hats, jewelry and various memorabilia,' said Director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center Ivan Arvelo. Tonya brown with Homeland Security explains fake jerseys are also a big problem. She says anyone buying jerseys should look for possible signs, including poor quality, sloppy stitching and irregular markings. 'On a real one. And if you touch it, you can feel all of the detail. You can feel the stars, you can feel the football. On a fake one, it's flat. It's just a little piece of plastic, essentially, that's sewn on, and it's pretty smooth and you can't feel the detail,' said Brown. Big Game Memories: Superdome Super Bowls Super Bowl LIX tickets are only available digitally. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill reminds people to purchase event tickets only from trusted sources, such as Ticketmaster. She also says it's a good idea to pay with your credit card. 'If you feel like you've been scammed, and you're going to know because you're not going to be able to get into the game with a fake ticket, then you need to report it and you can report it either to my office, and you can also report it to the FBI,' said Murrill. Here's the latest Counterfeit Sports Merchandise call for Rosa Parks holiday Senators push to keep AM radio in new vehicles NFL heading Down Under for 2026 regular-season game in Australia Keon Coleman's jerseys retired by Opelousas Catholic Could tickets to this Super Bowl be a relative bargain? Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
