Key takeaways
- In just five years, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) has expanded its global reach from two to 12 countries.
- The CCU has also grown from seven government agency partnerships to more than 50 today.
- Amazon wants customers to shop with confidence, knowing that every purchase is authentic—and wants brands to know they’re protected as sellers.
Customer obsession is the foundation of everything we do at Amazon, and a critical part of that is earning and maintaining customers' trust every day. When customers shop in the Amazon store, they expect a safe, authentic, and trustworthy experience where every purchase arrives as expected.
We take a proactive approach which combines advanced technology with expert investigators working together to stop counterfeits before they reach the Amazon store or customers. Using AI and machine learning, we've improved our detection capabilities to block more than 99% of suspected infringing listings before a brand ever needs to find and report them. Our systems scan for keywords, text, logos, and hundreds of other data points that can indicate potential infringement while continuously learning and improving to stay ahead of bad actors. We complement these efforts with powerful tools such as Brand Registry and Transparency, which help brands partner with us to even more effectively protect their intellectual property.
Holding bad actors accountable
Five years ago, we created the Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) – a global team made up of former federal prosecutors, intelligence agents, police officers, investigators, and data analysts — all working together in partnership with brands to investigate, find, and launch legal action and criminal referrals against counterfeiters.
Over the last five years, the CCU’s global reach has expanded from operating in just two countries initially to 12 countries today, including the U.S., China, France, India, and the UK. This expansion acknowledges the borderless nature of counterfeiting operations and the need for a strong global response.
We have also grown from seven government agency partnerships in 2020 to more than 50 today. We’ve worked with agencies such as EUROPOL, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the City of London Police, and specialized intellectual property crime units across multiple countries.
“The five-year milestone of Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit is a testament to what’s possible when government and industry work together. The IPR Center’s collaboration with Amazon has strengthened our collective ability to hold counterfeiters accountable and protect intellectual property rights across the globe. We look forward to continuing this vital partnership in the years ahead,” said Ivan Arvelo, Director, National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
In five years, the CCU has initiated over 200 civil actions against bad actors and our efforts in fighting counterfeit and fraud have resulted in more than $180 million in court-ordered restitution and judgments for brands and victims.
This work has also led to significant criminal prosecutions and penalties for counterfeiters worldwide, including prison sentences for more than 65 individuals. In one case, our efforts helped authorities capture a bad actor who was sentenced to a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence for trafficking fraudulent and counterfeit goods. This demonstrates the serious consequences these bad actors face when caught.
Our anti-counterfeiting investigations often cross international borders, combining sophisticated detective work with law enforcement partnerships. In one case, the CCU traced counterfeit ridesharing brand products from a U.S.-based bad actor to a network of manufacturers in China, leading to coordinated raids that seized more than 2,100 counterfeit items. Working with the brands and law enforcement across multiple countries, the CCU disrupted the criminals’ entire supply chain and secured a $1.1 million judgment against the primary bad actor.
Collaboration in action: The Pandora success story
To achieve these results, we collaborate with others in the industry. We work with brands of all sizes to pursue counterfeiters. Our combined efforts give law enforcement the evidence to stop criminals in their tracks. We have worked with hundreds of well-known brands such as Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, BMW, Phillips, Lego, Canon, Cisco, Brother, and brands that are local small businesses such as Capri Blue, family-owned card game maker Dutch Blitz, and many more.
A recent example of our collaborative approach is our work with Pandora, the global jewelry brand known for high-quality, affordable designs sold in over 100 countries. Amazon and Pandora worked together to identify counterfeiters attempting to sell thousands of fake Pandora items to customers across nine European countries, including France, Germany, Spain, and the UK.
Photo by PandoraThe two companies reported the operation to Chinese law enforcement and supported a nearly three-year investigation. Amazon provided crucial evidence that helped secure convictions, with the main offender receiving a prison sentence exceeding three years plus significant fines.
“As the world’s largest jewelry brand, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail and are committed to protecting our brand from the threat of counterfeit products,” said Peter Ring, SVP General Counsel, Pandora. “This successful collaboration with Amazon shows how impactful joint efforts can be in stopping counterfeiting operations. By combining our global brand protection expertise with Amazon’s investigative capabilities, we supported local law enforcement in dismantling a sophisticated criminal network. This case marks an important step forward in our ongoing efforts to safeguard the integrity of our brand and the quality our customers expect and trust us to deliver.”
The path to zero counterfeits
In partnership with brands and law enforcement, we have been able to hold many bad actors accountable and stopped them from attempting to abuse our and other retailers’ stores across the industry.
While the CCU's five-year milestone offers an opportunity to celebrate significant progress and impact, we recognize that this work is not complete. Counterfeiters continuously evolve their tactics, requiring continued innovation and vigilance in response. We’re constantly enhancing our tools and technology to stay ahead.
Our commitment remains steadfast: We want customers to shop with confidence, knowing that every purchase, whether a luxury item or everyday essential, is authentic. And we want brands to know they're protected when they sell in our store.
As we look to the future, Amazon's goal remains unchanged: to drive counterfeits to zero through continued innovation and collaboration with brands and law enforcement worldwide.
More information about Amazon’s efforts in driving counterfeits to zero can be found in the 2024 Brand Protection Report.
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