Counterfeit products are not uncommon in the digital space. However, platforms such as classifieds portals or smaller online shops are usually affected. This time, however, Amazon is in the spotlight. With good news for consumers.
It is widely known that Amazon says it invests a lot of resources in fighting fraud on its sales platform. Nevertheless, the portal is anything but a fraud-free space. This was recently proven by a scam with counterfeit 16 TB SSDs and a fraud in which the victims, not the perpetrators, were warned . In another case, Amazon can now record a success. And this affects Germany directly.
SUSPECTED AMAZON COUNTERFEITING RING EXPOSED
As announced by Amazon in a press release , the US mail-order company and the technology giant Brother have filed a joint civil lawsuit against an alleged counterfeiting ring at the Berlin Regional Court. 18 fraudsters operating in Germany who are said to have jointly sold counterfeit toner cartridges were accused. The accused had purchased empty Brother cartridges and filled them with “fake toner powder”. They are also said to have issued counterfeit toner cartridges for original products. They then proved their authenticity with imitations of holographic security labels found on Brother cartridge packaging.
Counterfeit toner cartridges can be a profitable business model as they are consumable and printer ink is one of the world’s most expensive liquids. Dealing in counterfeit products, meanwhile, is illegal, which also drew attention to Amazon and its Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU), a global counterfeit crime unit founded in 2020. “We do not tolerate counterfeit products in our stores. This is the first lawsuit of this type that we are filing in Europe. We are making it very clear that we are taking tough action to hold bad actors accountable wherever they go wrong,” said Kebharu Smith, CCU Director.
For those affected, buying a counterfeit Brother toner cartridge can have double revenge. On the one hand, because they paid a lot of money for a fake. And on the other hand, because a printer’s guarantee could expire under certain circumstances if you don’t use original toner cartridges. And this is a relevant aspect, especially since non-genuine cartridges can damage printers.
