Countering Counterfeits
Take Action
By taking action below, you’re joining manufacturing advocates who are urging Congress to make sure that final competition legislation contains strong anti-counterfeiting measures that protect our families, strengthen America’s competitiveness and hold bad actors accountable.
Fast Facts
- Growing sales of fake and counterfeit products cost the U.S. economy nearly $131 billion and more than 325,000 jobs in 2019 alone—according to the National Association of Manufacturers’ July 2020 white paper, Countering Counterfeits: The Real Threat of Fake Products.
- Counterfeits have spiked along with the explosive growth of e-commerce, which only surged during the pandemic: e-commerce sales now make up 13.2% of all retail spending, with total e-commerce sales of more than $870 billion.
- China is the top global hub for counterfeiting. In 2020, more than 8 of every 10 counterfeit products seized at U.S. borders came from China or Hong Kong, dwarfing the volume of counterfeits from any other country or region.
What’s at Stake
Counterfeit and fake products have harmed American manufacturers, workers and consumers for decades. From automotive parts and children’s toys to medical devices and pharmaceuticals, counterfeit goods – mostly from China – are a health and safety threat to manufacturers and to the consumers they serve.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, fake and counterfeit products multiplied as more Americans made purchases from the safety of their own homes. Bad actors found ways to exploit e-commerce platforms to sell directly to consumers without being held accountable, exposing American families to fake and fraudulent drugs, tests and medical equipment.
Congress has a real opportunity right now to reverse this rise in counterfeit products, passing two key bills needed to ensure the safety and well-being of consumers, make sure that platforms are doing enough to stop counterfeits, and protect the competitiveness of manufacturers of all sizes.
As Congress works towards final China competition legislation, our lawmakers must ensure that two key bills are included:
- SHOP SAFE Act (S. 1843 / H.R. 5374): This bill would ensure that e-commerce platforms are liable for counterfeit products sold on their platforms, just as main street retailers are, unless platforms take a series of common-sense steps to keep these products off their platform.
- INFORM Consumers Act (S. 936 / H.R. 5502): This bill would strengthen enforcement and consumer awareness of counterfeits by requiring e-commerce marketplaces to collect and verify identification information for sellers, and provide it to consumers who have purchased products via the platform.
We Want to Hear from You!
Washington needs to hear from YOU. Why? Because real voices make a difference and help to get stuff done. Include your voice and tell us why you support protecting consumers and manufacturers from the dangers of counterfeit products.
Need an idea?
- Counterfeit goods – the majority of which come from China – have found a safe haven in the major e-commerce platforms we all use. Why do you think that these e-commerce platforms should do a better job at protecting consumers and manufacturers from the dangers of fake products?
- The bad actors that sell counterfeit products online have threatened the well-being of consumers and the competitiveness of manufacturers. Why should these counterfeiters, like those in China, be held accountable for the damage they continue to do?
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Keep Up the Momentum
Did you take action above? Keep up the momentum up by urging Congress to protect worker privacy and the right to a secret ballot by opposing Card Check.