When you decide to counterfeit a product, it’s probably a bad idea to pick on one manufactured by one of the world’s largest companies. It’s probably even more of a bad idea to then try and sell the counterfeits on their website…. but that’s what some numbskulls tried to do by selling fake Fire TV Sticks on Amazon.
As you might expect, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) have filed a lawsuit against the perpetrators and this is a first – never before Amazon’s CCU filed a claim on behalf of the Amazon brand and an Amazon product.
Amazon have been relentless in recent years to stamp out counterfeits and to find their own products being faked must be particularly galling. But it does go to demonstrate that no matter how big a company you are and how much effort you put into stamping out illegal practices, there will still be some out there that think it’s worth having a go.
Amazon is constantly innovating and improving the tools available to drive the number of counterfeits in our store to zero. As we progress toward that goal, Amazon and the CCU will continue to take direct action against bad actors who attempt to sell counterfeits, regardless of whether those products are from independent brand owners or Amazon’s own products and devices.
– Amazon
Amazon say that their internal investigations confirmed that devices sold by the defendants used a counterfeit version of the Amazon Smile trademark but the devices were not manufactured or authorised by Amazon. The counterfeit devices differed in many ways from the authentic device, including the remote’s external and interior plastic body, the buttons, and the components and construction of the printed circuit board.
Amazon followed their standard process for when they detect counterfeiters and blocked the defendants’ accounts, proactively notified customers who we believe purchased counterfeits, and reimbursed the customers’ Amazon accounts.
In 2022, the CCU worked with dozens of brands to sue or refer for investigation more than 1,300 criminals, but this represents the first time we’ve filed a suit protecting an Amazon product. The suit shows that bad actors are not only targeting independent brand owners, but Amazon products and devices, as well. We are grateful for the partnership with our colleagues at Fire TV as we continue to hold those accountable who would attempt to do harm to Amazon and deceive customers with counterfeit products
– Kebharu Smith, director, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit
