26-03-2025
Amazon Seized 15 Million Counterfeit Products in 2024
Amazon continued its crusade against counterfeits in 2024, its latest Brand Protection Report shows.
According to the data, Amazon pinpointed and disposed of more than 15 million counterfeit products across the globe last year, which it contends prevent consumer harm or continued resale of such products on other platforms.
More from Sourcing Journal
Amazon Files Lawsuit Against Consumer Product Safety Commission Over Recall Requirements
Coach's Owner Tapestry Files Trademark Infringement Suit Against Shein
One-Tenth of Amazon Products Have an Identical Match on Temu
The e-commerce behemoth uses artificial intelligence and other technology to monitor the listings on its platform for similarities to a brand's logo, trademarks and name—and to determine if significant changes are made repeatedly to a listing, whether in photos, item name or otherwise.
That process encompasses a variety of tools and partnerships that Amazon has cultivated in recent years. And, per the company, its efforts have paid off; it stated that, in 2024, it proactively caught 99 percent of potentially infringing listings before brands ever had to flag items for removal.
The company has seen growing interest and involvement in its counterfeit-related programs, which see participants from a slew of industries, including fashion, apparel and footwear, where counterfeits have long proven to be an especially touchy subject.
Zach Toczyński, senior director of global brand protection for Levi Strauss & Co., said the company has held a 'long-term partnership' with Amazon on brand protection, which has helped proactively protect the various brands under its umbrella.
'We commend Amazon for their dedication and the excellent results we've achieved together. This partnership is a key component of our global brand protection strategy, and we look forward to continuing our work together in the years to come,' Toczyński said in a statement.
2024 Corsearch data estimated that, in 2023, counterfeit movement accounted for 3.3 percent of all global trade and projected that, by 2030, that would increase to 5 percent.
And brands and retailers aren't taking the counterfeiting lying down; many have filed lawsuits against counterfeit sellers on various marketplaces, and the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA)—in tandem with more than a dozen other industry interest groups—urged President Donald Trump to take action on counterfeit items within his first 100 days as president. Should he do so, it could be indicative that he feels the issue is one of serious global importance for industry.
In the meantime, private industry, Amazon included, has chosen to target the proliferation of counterfeits on its own. In 2020, Amazon launched its Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU), which bridges private industry, customs agencies, law enforcement professionals and more to take action against bad actors on Amazon. Since its launch, the CCU has brought legal action against or referred to law enforcement more than 24,000 bad actors, Amazon said. Last year, the CCU increased its connection with Chinese law enforcement agencies and brands, which Amazon said was directly correlated to more than 60 raids, which identified over 100 bad actors.
'This collaboration resulted in numerous criminal convictions, including fines and prison sentences,' Amazon said in the report.
The company further noted that, through its collaboration with U.S. and Japanese customs, it was able to halt at least 90,000 counterfeit items from reaching their destination, preemptively removing them from the supply chain before they could negatively impact a consumer.
The company said it recognizes that it has yet more work to do in preventing fakes and bad actors from selling on its platform, but Dharmesh M. Mehta, vice president of worldwide selling partner services for Amazon, said he's excited about what the company achieved last year.'We understand that customer trust is difficult to earn and easy to lose, which is why trust is at the foundation of the relationships we build and the products and services we invent on behalf of our customers, brands, and selling partners,' Mehta said in a statement. 'We are proud of the progress we have made in preventing counterfeits within the Amazon store. This has required significant innovation and perseverance, and it would not be possible without the partnerships we have been able to build with brands, associations, policymakers, law enforcement, and others. While we believe we have made a great deal of progress, we remain committed to continued innovation and progress, and we will not rest until we drive counterfeits to zero.'
