National IPR Center and Amazon’s ‘Operation Fulfilled Action’ Target Super Bowl LV Counterfeits

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN) – Today, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and the U.S. government’s National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center announced they are expanding the joint Operation Fulfilled Action partnership to fight counterfeit Super Bowl merchandise. The IPR Center and Amazon’s CCU will work together in real time to identify counterfeiters wherever they operate: in Tampa, in online stores, and as their goods come through the nation’s ports. Operation Fulfilled Action is an on-going effort between Amazon and the IPR Center to protect American consumers by preventing counterfeit goods from entering the U.S.

As counterfeiters attempt to take advantage of this major sporting event, Amazon’s CCU and the IPR Center are sharing information about counterfeits in real time before, during, and after the Super Bowl. This includes historical information about counterfeiters and real time intelligence as law enforcement agencies conduct on-the-ground inspections and raids. By sharing information such as physical addresses, supply routes, shippers, consignees, and other potential fraud identifiers, Amazon and the IPR Center can more quickly and effectively stop and prevent counterfeits from reaching consumers.

“Make no mistake – intellectual property theft is not a victimless crime. American manufacturers and retailers – and those they employ – as well as consumers are the losers in this game,” said Steve Francis, IPR Center Director. “Fans who spend their hard-earned money to support the NFL and their favorite team can rest assured that HSI is working around the clock with support from Amazon to ensure they are getting only genuine, high-quality officially licensed merchandise in return.”

“We know counterfeiters target high visibility events like the Super Bowl, and we are proud to be working with the IPR Center and other agencies to leverage what we know to better protect customers in our store and across the retail industry,” said Dharmesh Mehta, Vice President, Customer Trust and Partner Support, Amazon.

Amazon strictly prohibits the sale of counterfeit products, and in 2019 alone, invested more than $500 million to protect its store and customers from counterfeit and other forms of fraud and abuse. These investments include machine learning and automated systems to detect bad actors and potentially counterfeit products, dedicated teams to operate and continually refine its anti-counterfeiting programs, and tools that empower brands to better protect their intellectual property. As a result, 99.9% of pages viewed by customers on Amazon did not receive a valid counterfeit complaint and customers continue to shop with confidence on Amazon.

The IPR Center is one of the U.S. government's key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. The center uses the expertise of 25 key federal and international agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions, and conduct investigations related to IP theft and commercial fraud crimes.

About National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center

The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, working collaboratively with its public and private sector partners, stands at the forefront of the United States government's response to combatting global intellectual property theft and enforcing intellectual properties rights violations. The IPR Center was established to combat global intellectual property theft – and, accordingly, has a significant role policing the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods on websites, social media, and the dark web. To report IP theft or to learn more about the IPR Center, visit www.IPRCenter.gov.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.