Consumer Guide to Counterfeits & Pirated Goods

Sales of counterfeit and pirated goods have never been easier as the global economy expands online. Shop smart and avoid becoming a victim. Consult these resources to learn how to spot and report fakes.

Featured videos

Avoid Counterfeits: Go For Real
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Crime Prevention Council are working together to raise public awareness about the importance of intellectual property and to decrease demand for counterfeit goods in the United States. This public education campaign is aimed at tweens and teens, encouraging them make smart buying decisions and seek out legitimate products. Learn more and take the #GoForRealChallenge at https://www.ncpc.org/goforreal.

Embedded YouTube link: https://youtu.be/ulO10s_ojSI


Trademark Information Network: Counterfeit
Counterfeiting reaches into all aspects of our daily lives, threatens our health and safety, and negatively impacts U.S. jobs and the overall economy. Learn about counterfeiting’s pervasive harms, as well as gain practical tips on how to spot counterfeit goods and avoid buying them. This video is part of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s news broadcast-style Trademark Information Network (TMIN) video series.

Embedded YouTube link: https://youtu.be/1xdxmI8tbXU

 

Learn How To Protect Yourself

Featured Videos

These videos are brought to you by federal agencies working to keep U.S. consumers informed about counterfeit and pirated goods.   

Turning the Tide: How CBP Enforces IPR on Imports

Learn how U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforces U.S. intellectual property rights at the border to keep consumers safe from counterfeit and pirated products.

Anti-Counterfeiting Devices

Electronics, apparel, and pharmaceuticals are only some of the products counterfeiters try to fake. Using nanotechnology, Professor Evangelyn Alocilja, a biosystems engineer at Michigan State University, has developed a product authentication process that may help consumers determine if a product is genuine or fake.  From U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Science of Innovation Video Series.

Purchasing Pet Drugs Online: Buyer Beware

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns consumers to be cautious when buying pet drugs online. Learn how to tell if an online pharmacy may be selling counterfeit and potentially dangerous medicines.

CD-3: FDA's Tool in the Fight Against Counterfeit Products

Scientists at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration developed CD-3, a counterfeit detection device that provides a real time, portable solution for port agents and other authorities to keep consumers safe from counterfeit medications.