Amazon, Games Maker Asmodee Sue Over Alleged Counterfeiting

Amazon’s campaign against counterfeiting has broadened with their Thursday (June 24) announcement that the online giant is linking up with games maker Asmodee Group in a lawsuit. The legal action is against New York City-based defendants that, the lawsuit charges, “attempted to offer” counterfeit products on Amazon’s marketplace.

The defendants allegedly counterfeited Asmodee’s award-winning card game sets “Dixit: Daydreams Expansion” and “Dixit: Revelations Expansion.” The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington state, alleges that two defendants used Asmodee’s registered trademarks without authorization to deceive customers about the authenticity and origin of the products.

Amazon said that it closed the defendants’ selling account and refunded the affected customers. The retailer said that the defendants’ actions were illegal and violated Amazon’s policies and infringed on Asmodee’s trademarks.

“If a counterfeiter attempts to take advantage of our customers or partners like Asmodee, our Counterfeit Crimes Unit will hold them accountable through civil litigation or criminal referral to law enforcement,” said Kebharu Smith, director of counterfeit crimes unit. He said the retailer makes “significant investments” in technology that employs machine learning (ML) along with the use of expert investigators.

He added that Amazon will hold alleged counterfeiters accountable through civil litigation or criminal referral to law enforcement.

The news release said that “in 2020, Amazon invested more than $700 million and employed more than 10,000 people to proactively protect its store from fraud, counterfeit, and abuse.” The company said it works hard to verify information provided by potential sellers.

In 2020, Amazon said, only 6 percent of “attempted new seller account registrations passed” its “robust verification processes and listed products for sale.”

Amazon said in May in its 2020 Brand Protection Report that the company had “seized and destroyed more than 2 million [counterfeit] products” before they were sent to customers.

“We’ve helped our selling partners keep their virtual doors open, and despite increased attempts by bad actors, continued to ensure that the vast majority of customers shop with confidence from our broad selection of authentic products,” said Dharmesh Mehta, Amazon’s vice president for customer trust and partner support, in the May news release.