How we’re using AI innovations to stop fraud and counterfeits
We recently released our Brand Protection report, which demonstrates our efforts to stop bad actors and protect your business from counterfeit products through industry-leading technology and strategic partnerships.
In 2024, we invested more than a billion dollars and employed thousands of people – including machine learning scientists, software developers and expert investigators – to help protect customers, brands, selling partners and our store from counterfeit, fraud and other forms of abuse.
The report outlines the progress we’ve made, including the following highlights:
- In 2024, we identified, seized and appropriately disposed of more than 15 million counterfeit products worldwide, preventing them from harming customers or being resold elsewhere in the retail supply chain.
- Since its launch in 2020, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit has pursued more than 24,000 bad actors through litigation and criminal referrals to law enforcement.
- Through our continued investment in AI, our improved proactive controls blocked more than 99 per cent of suspected infringing listings before the brand owners had to find and report them.
- Since 2020, while the number of products available for sale in our store has continued to grow, we have seen around a 35-per cent decrease in the total valid notices of infringement submitted by brands.
- More than 2.5 billion product units have been verified as genuine through our Transparency programme, which has enrolled 88,000 brands worldwide, including Fortune 500 companies, global brands, start-ups and small businesses.
We remain committed to continued advancements, and we will not rest until we drive counterfeits to zero.
For more detailed updates on our strategic areas of focus and the progress we’ve made, go to the Brand Protection report.
To report abusive customers or sellers, go to Report abuse.
9 replies
Seller_QuM1AZgzfU9x4
Honestly you could achieve more by taking action on the reports you get. I've reported multiple listings that violate your policies and have yet to see any action being taken.
More generally I think AI has a bad rep among sellers due to the belief that it has largely replaced seller support. Whilst i am sure that is largely a mistaken belief and support are using pasted responses, it is clear that AI is not seen by the masses as a tool that solves everything.
Get you AI to scan every generic listing and remove all of those that are clearly brands being sold on a listing to avoid gating / keep products to a single seller.
Seller_IQo80d99W2DzP
It really should be AuI (Automated un-Intelligence).
I very much doubt that many items are really counterfeit, Amazon just wrongly think they are fakes.
I expect there are certain items that may cause issues, eg are they really Nike or not, but not many fake Internet Routers for example.
I wonder how many items are checked by the makers and they inform that they are fake. Much more likely not listed 100% correctly, and Amazon refuse to change the listing, or a Distributor issued a Barcode, and was not the one issued by the Brand holder.
If a Seller is really selling fakes/counterfeit goods, shouldn't that be investigated by the authorities, and Amazon just report such, have an update and ban them completely if say 3 real violations.
I am sure it is often just the way of wording on a listing. Example, old listings may say 'Case to fit an iPhone', that will now show as a Violation, as Amazon now insist on the listing saying 'Brand + Model + Compatible with iPhone' - it was never saying made by Apple iPhone to be a fake product.
Amazon also want proof and do not understand Licenced Products. Example, we sold a Walt Disney Mickey Mouse Phone, we had to get a letter of authority from Walt Disney himself we were told many times. We explained he is dead, and in the end they wanted from his decendants. The phone was made by another Company that paid Walt Disney Corporation, a Licenced product, but they would not accept from the Company that was Licenced, but wanted from Disney itself, which is impossible. In the end we removed the product from sale and accepted as a Violation, as Account Health said the only way is once Amazon has made up their mind (even if incorrect), you have to accept they are right, as they are never wrong, and move on.
Seller_5VsVlvdiDnITx
The 'report abuse' button is not fit for purpose. You do not take action against blatant fraud or manipulation when it is reported via this method.
Amazon has the worst reputation for allowing and being complicit to fraud and you have a LONG way to go to reverse this justified reputation.
Whereas I welcome any action taken against bad actors in our industry, I'll believe your words when I see your actions.
Seller_ZQyopdiwkUHOZ
Citing this as a positive is nuts. What proportion of that 99 were genuine listings that the system made a mistake on? How many of them were just listings using a Trademarked term in its dictionary definition and shouldn't have been blocked? How many of them were technically infringing, but only because the correct listing had been destroyed by the ridiculous catalogue errors, and creating a new listing under, for example, the manufacturer's brand name instead of the brand's name was the only way to make it available for sale?
What you're effectively doing here is patting yourself on the back for pronouncing people as guilty until proven innocent.
Seller_tQCfsb3zoC4AP
considering that if I went to a UK court of law I could prove that 100% of my inventory is Authentic according to Amazon’s AI innovations approx 7% is authentic.
The category I mainly sell in has been destroyed by Amazons AI were authentic officially leicence goods are being blocked but fake goods are welcomed with open arms.
When you go to other sales channels they have all the latest goods available on Amazon you cannot purchase them as no one is able to get past Amazons “AI innovations” to even get them listed and I mean no one retailers manufacturer leicence holders.
So I guess that the 93% of my authentic goods are some of these bad actors that you name (by the way would be happy to go to the court to prove what I say would love to see you try and prove otherwise with your suspect claims) a few examples from this week
Amazon AI removing Chelsea FC goods as the AI says they should be under the brand name Chelsea so goods listed as Chelsea FC Chelsea F!C. Are all removed as suspected violations
Arsenal FC goods being removed as the AI system says they should be under the name Arsenal F.C. so goods under Arsenal Arsenal FC are all removed
Liverpool goods being removed as the AI says it should be under the name Liverpool FC again goods saying Liverpool Liverpool F.C.
This is the same for all football related merchandise the AI demands for one you cannot use FC the next it demands that FC is used and then a third that demands the use of F.C. leading to almost all authentic goods being removed from the site.
Have I contacted seller support in relation to this yes daily from when it first started in September 2019 at that time I had 33 thousand listings worldwide on Amazon now I have less that a thousand in the UK only
Seller_rBoST8be3b1rH
I would argue that Amazon’s heavy reliance on AI is a serious issue. The systems and policies in place are deeply flawed — in some cases, completely broken. Instead of being proactive or fair, Amazon has become lazy, allowing AI to make critical decisions without proper human oversight.
Yes, I fully support the need to stop counterfeits and protect the platform. But the way Amazon handles it now causes massive collateral damage. The “guilty until proven innocent” approach — where sellers wait months to clear their name — is unacceptable.
AI should be a tool, not the decision-maker. What’s missing is common sense — and that doesn’t cost billions. You’ve claimed to invest heavily in AI, but you’ve ignored the one thing that could actually fix these problems: real human judgment.
This isn’t sustainable, and it’s damaging both businesses and trust in the platform.
Seller_HFHgeklg7QWlB
well personally I have been accused of infringing copywrite on 'converse' and 'marvel' I sell baskets... does not seem like a terrible accurate system does it?
