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The Buy Safe America Coalition Voices Support for Including the INFORM Consumers Act in the 2023 Omnibus Package
Buy Safe America Coalition members sign letter to Congressional leadership urging Congress to modernize consumer protection laws

 
Washington, DC – Today, the Buy Safe America Coalition issued the following statement on an open letter to Congressional leadership.
 
“We support the ongoing efforts of Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Gus Bilirakis along with Senators Bill Cassidy and Dick Durbin to include the INFORM Consumers Act in the omnibus spending package,  which will clamp down on the online sale of stolen and counterfeit goods this year,” said Michael Hanson, Buy Safe America Coalition spokesperson. “Today’s letter, which is signed by companies, trade associations, law enforcement and consumer protection groups across an array of industries and sectors, showcases the far-reaching impact of illicit e-commerce sales and why this common-sense measure  is a top legislative priority.”
 
The Buy Safe America Coalition is urging Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act — a bipartisan piece of federal legislation that would require online marketplaces to verify the identities of high-volume third-party sellers and disclose basic information to shoppers and law enforcement. The bill has attracted broad support from retailers, e-commerce platforms, law enforcement officials, manufacturers, and consumers, and is the only piece of legislation that addresses both stolen and counterfeit merchandise being sold online.
 
Retail theft has cost retailers over $69 billion annually and is responsible for the loss of hundreds of thousands of American jobs. Business owners across the country — from New York to California — have been forced to defend their stores from violent, organized theft. Meanwhile, counterfeit goods sold on third-party marketplaces have also put consumers in harm’s way, posing a serious safety risk. Even more alarming are recent cases pursued by the Justice Department that show billions in illicit products sold to American hospitals, schools, and government agencies.
 
“It remains essential that the INFORM Consumers Act is enacted by the end of the year. If this moment passes, our nation would be turning its back on the millions of retailers, consumers, and employees whose lives have been touched directly by organized retail crime and counterfeits,” added Hanson.

Visit BuySafeAmerica.org for more information about the growing threat of stolen and counterfeit goods and solutions to better protect consumers and businesses.
 

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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. The coalition is urging Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act — legislation that has multi-industry and bipartisan support to combat counterfeit and stolen products sold online