Amazon Starts Crime Unit To Crack Down On Counterfeits

Amazon has launched a new Counterfeit Crimes Unit, which it wants to use to combat fake listings on its eCommerce site.

The press release from the company says it will utilize a “global team, made up of former federal prosecutors, experienced investigators, and data analysts” in order to hopefully make sure no counterfeit item ever makes it onto the site in the first place.

Amazon boasts that it has blocked 2.5 million possible bad actor accounts before they were able to even offer a single product for sale, the release says, and there were over 6 billion suspected bad listings last year.

The company has invested over $500 million and more than 8,000 employees last year alone toward fighting problems like fraud and counterfeit items, the press release says.

The new Counterfeit Crimes Unit will attempt to enact civil legislation against criminals and work with brands in joint or independent investigations. The unit will help law enforcement as well, bringing criminal charges when needed, the press release says.

Even before the pandemic roiled the world’s economy and brought forward new opportunities for counterfeiters, Amazon announced earlier this year that it would be working with authorities to crack down on fake sales and counterfeit items.

Dharmesh Mehta, vice president of Customer Trust and Partner Support with Amazon, said every counterfeiter “is on notice that they will be held accountable to the maximum extent possible under the law, regardless of where they attempt to sell their counterfeits or where they’re located,” the release says.

“We are working hard to disrupt and dismantle these criminal networks, and we applaud the law enforcement authorities who are already part of this fight. We urge governments to give these authorities the investigative tools, funding, and resources they need to bring criminal counterfeiters to justice because criminal enforcement — through prosecution and other disruption measures such as freezing assets — is one of the most effective ways to stop them.”