Press Release

Media Contact: media@buysafeamerica.org
 

Amazon Launches misINFORMation Campaign 

 
Amazon’s Effort to Stonewall Transparency and Stem the Flood of Counterfeit and Stolen Goods Sold Online Should Not Sway Congress

 
Washington, D.C. – The Buy Safe America Coalition, a diverse group of retailers, consumer groups, wholesaler-distributors, and manufacturers that support efforts to protect consumers and communities from the sale of counterfeit and stolen goods, today released the following statement on Amazon’s misleading claims about the INFORM Consumers Act. 
 
“Amazon is no longer just selling stolen and counterfeit merchandise, we can now add misinformation to the list,” said Michael Hanson, Buy Safe America Coalition spokesperson. “The INFORM Consumers Act protects small businesses, empowers consumers, and aids law enforcement with the growing problem of counterfeit and stolen goods flooding online marketplaces—that’s why it enjoys support from a wide range of industries, leading American companies and brands, and enjoys bipartisan support in Congress.”
 
Amazon made several false claims about the INFORM Consumers Act in a recent company blog post. In response, the Buy Safe America Coalition sent a letter to federal lawmakers this morning, fact-checking the company’s many specious statements. 
 
Amazon has become a hub for harmful, altered, counterfeit, and stolen products. And with 63 percent of their marketplace sellers based in China, and overwhelming evidence of counterfeit goods flooding into the U.S. from China, Amazon has chosen to stonewall efforts to aid consumers in identifying and weeding out suspicious sellers.
 
Greater transparency on online marketplaces will help protect families from purchasing illicit goods such as expired baby formula, over the counter drugs, health and beauty products, air bags, brakes pads, water filters, and N95 masks, while also reducing the incentive for organized retail crime rings to target local retailers, stealing large quantities of goods for quick resale online. 
 
“We urge Congress to look past the Amazon smokescreen and focus on the overwhelming need for transparency and accountability online,” said Hanson. “The targeted approach taken by the INFORM Consumers Act will shine a bright light on suspicious actors and make it much harder for criminal elements to hide behind fake screennames and bogus business information to dupe American consumers.”   
 
Visit BuySafeAmerica.org for more information about the growing problem of stolen and counterfeit goods and solutions to better protect consumers and businesses.
 

###

 
The Buy Safe America Coalition represents a diverse group of responsible retailers, consumer groups, manufacturers, intellectual property advocates and law enforcement officials who support efforts at all levels of government to protect consumers and communities from the sale of counterfeit and stolen goods.