If you are an avid online shopper, chances are you have come across a fake product even though you may have not purchased one. Counterfeits (especially electronics) not only pose a threat because they are dangerous but they also damage the reputation of the online store where they are sold. For this reason, the US online marketplace, Amazon is introducing a Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) to help tackle this problem.
The new unit will tackle the issue of counterfeit products differently than usual. The unit which contains former prosecutors, experienced investigators, and data analysts will not only identify ad-block listings of counterfeit products they find. Instead, they will go after those behind the fake products. The unit will work with law enforcement officials so that filing lawsuits against the counterfeiters will be much easier.
According to Amazon, the fight against fraud and counterfeit products in the year 2019 cost the company over half a billion dollars. It also said that it has employed over 8000 people takes with finding and taking down counterfeit products on the site. As a result, the site took down over 6 billion suspected bad listings just last year.
The sale of fake products has cost the company a lot in the past. Nike, for instance, no longer sells its products directly on the site. Amazon even has five of its foreign websites on a White House’ list of notorious markets.
