Press Release

Media Contact: media@buysafeamerica.org
 

Congress Must Continue to Address Widespread Online COVID-19 Scams 

Buy Safe America Coalition Supports U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Hearing on Scams Related to COVID-19

 
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, supports the decision of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee to hold a hearing on scams related to COVID-19.
 
The Buy Safe America Coalition applauds the efforts of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee to counter scams related to COVID-19, and for the Committee’s decision to take an active role in protecting U.S. consumers from a mounting threat. Since the onset of the pandemic, e-commerce platforms have been flooded with counterfeit products. The sale of counterfeit N95 respirators, knockoff vaccine cards, and fraudulent COVID-19 remedies has proven to be serious issue for retailers, shoppers, and law enforcement officials nationwide. 
 
The growing presence of counterfeit masks on e-commerce platforms, in particular, is a mounting threat to the health and safety of consumers that online marketplaces have failed to address. Kevin Rhodes, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of 3M, will testify at today’s hearing about the online sale of counterfeit personal protective equipment (PPE). 3M joined the Buy Safe America Coalition in December.
 
“While most Americans looked for ways to support each other during the pandemic, others attempted to exploit it for their own financial gain,” said Michael Hanson, Buy Safe America Coalition spokesperson. “This can be seen most clearly on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and eBay, which criminals are using to sell counterfeit and stolen merchandise. I am glad the Senate Commerce Committee is shining a bright light on these illicit schemes that are proliferating on third-party marketplaces.”
 
Unfortunately, the prevalence of hazardous products on online marketplaces spans across a wide range of industries, many of which play an important role in ensuring consumer health and well-being. Counterfeit and stolen beauty products, water filters, and automobile parts can all be found on leading e-commerce platforms.  
 
The Buy Safe America Coalition is urging Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act, which would help prevent fraudulent merchandise from being sold on e-commerce platforms by requiring that all online marketplaces collect and verify basic business information from high-volume sellers.  

Visit BuySafeAmerica.org for more information about the growing problem 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.