If you think you received a counterfeit product, don't use it or send it back yet. Photograph the item and packaging, save the listing and payment record, and ask the brand for a written assessment if it can provide one.

A useful complaint connects four points:

1. What you bought
2. Who sold it
3. Why it appears inauthentic
4. What you lost or what happened afterward

No photograph or serial-number search proves counterfeiting by itself. A well-organized evidence file can, however, help the seller, marketplace, payment provider, brand, or government agency assess what happened.

What evidence supports a counterfeit product complaint?

Use evidence that answers these questions:

Keep the original files. Don't edit photographs, recreate receipts, or rely only on a cropped screenshot that hides the listing, seller, date, or price.

Step 1: Preserve the product and packaging

Before contacting anyone, put the item, box, tags, inserts, and shipping materials somewhere safe. Don't use, wash, repair, refill, or discard the product. Handling it further may remove details that show its condition when it arrived.

If the product could be hazardous, stop using it. Take particular care with suspected medicines, supplements, cosmetics, children's products, food, batteries, chargers, and safety equipment. Keep the item away from children and pets. Anyone who has been exposed to it or feels ill should contact a medical professional or emergency services.

Photograph the product before returning it. If a seller or marketplace requires a return:

1. Save the photographs and documents first.
2. Get the instructions through the official account or a verified email address.
3. Photograph the item inside the package before sealing it.
4. Use the required label and a trackable delivery method.
5. Keep the postage receipt, tracking number, and delivery confirmation.

Don't mail a potentially dangerous product to an unknown address. Confirm the return process through the marketplace or payment provider before sending it to a seller's personal address.

Step 2: Save the purchase and seller records

Download the transaction record if possible rather than relying on continued access to the website. Save or capture:

• The order number, date, item description, quantity, and price
• The seller's name, user ID, store page, and contact information
• The original listing, product photographs, authenticity claims, and return terms
• Shipping confirmation, tracking information, and the package label
• Payment confirmation and the relevant bank or card statement entry
• Messages, emails, chat transcripts, and the seller's response
• Any complaint or report already made to the marketplace

Capture the full screen when you can, including the website address and the seller, product, date, and price. If the listing disappears, that saved copy may be the only record of what was advertised.

Redact passwords, full payment-card numbers, Social Security numbers, and other information the recipient doesn't need. Keep an unredacted copy privately in case your card issuer or law enforcement requests it.

The Federal Trade Commission's guidance on resolving problems with a business advises consumers to be clear about what they want, explain the problem to each person they contact, keep notes, and save copies of online forms or chats.

Step 3: Record why the item appears counterfeit

Counterfeit indicators differ by product and brand. Describe the specific problem instead of writing only, "This is fake."

Take clear photographs of:

• Misspellings, unusual fonts, incorrect colors, or poor printing
• Loose, uneven, or broken seals
• Missing labels, safety information, or required inserts
• Blurred logos, altered trademarks, or mismatched packaging
• Differences in stitching, materials, weight, shape, finish, smell, or construction
• Barcodes, batch codes, model numbers, holograms, and serial numbers
• The contents next to the outside packaging
• The product beside an authentic item, if you already own one

Compare the item with official manufacturer photographs, manuals, product pages, or packaging instructions. Save the comparison material and note its source and date.

A packaging difference isn't always proof of counterfeiting. Products may change between production runs, markets, or package sizes. A stronger explanation identifies several differences and explains why they don't match the official information.

Serial numbers and authenticity checks

Ask the manufacturer or an authorized brand representative to check the serial number, batch code, or model. A written response may be useful if it says that the number is invalid, duplicated, assigned to another product, or inconsistent with the packaging.

A serial number that looks valid doesn't settle the question. Counterfeiters sometimes copy numbers from genuine products. Avoid posting a complete serial number publicly if it could help someone produce another fake.

Contact the brand through its official website, not through contact information supplied only by the seller. Send the product details and photographs, and ask whether the brand can confirm:

• Whether the item or packaging matches a genuine product
• Whether the serial, batch, or model information is valid
• Whether the seller is an authorized source
• Whether the brand can provide a written product assessment

Save the date, case number, name or department of the person who responded, and the complete message. If the brand can't authenticate the item from photographs, record that limitation. A lack of response isn't proof that the product is counterfeit.

Step 4: Write a timeline

Record what happened while the details are fresh:

• When and where you saw the listing
• When you ordered and paid
• When the package arrived
• When you opened or inspected it
• What looked different or unsafe
• When you contacted the seller, marketplace, or brand
• What response you received
• What refund, return, or dispute action you took

A timeline can expose or resolve inconsistencies between the order record, photographs, shipping data, and complaint. Stick to facts. For example, write, "The serial number returned no result on the manufacturer's verification page," rather than accusing a person of criminal conduct without supporting evidence.

Do you need a lab test?

Usually, a consumer doesn't need a laboratory report to ask a seller or marketplace for an initial refund review. Transaction records, photographs, and a brand's written assessment may be enough.

Testing may be worth considering when:

• The product is expensive or the loss is substantial
• The item may have caused an injury or illness
• The brand can't assess it
• The dispute may reach court
• The material, chemical, or electrical composition matters

Before paying for testing, ask the laboratory what the test can establish and whether its report will identify the sample, testing method, date, findings, and limitations. Use a laboratory experienced with that type of product. A report may strengthen the evidence, but it won't by itself establish who sold the item or guarantee a refund.

If law enforcement or a court may become involved, keep a handling log. Record who possessed the product, when it changed hands, how it was packaged, and where it was stored. Preserve the original photographs and notes, and don't write on or modify the item.

Ask the seller for a refund in writing

Use the official marketplace account or a verified business address. Keep the message brief and specific:

I bought [product] under order number [number] on [date]. The item appears not to be authentic because [specific observations]. I have attached the order record, listing, photographs, and [brand response, if available]. I am requesting a full refund and written return instructions. Please confirm the next step by [date].

If the product was advertised as genuine but appears counterfeit, ask for a full refund. List shipping charges or other related expenses separately and ask whether they will be included. Don't send the item back until you've preserved the evidence and understand the seller's or marketplace's return process.

Check both the seller's return policy and the marketplace's buyer-protection deadline. Businesses and platforms set their own time limits, and no single U.S. deadline controls every purchase. A return policy doesn't necessarily resolve whether the product was misrepresented, but missing a platform or payment deadline can make recovery more difficult.

If the seller refuses or disappears

Different complaints serve different purposes. A marketplace report may help remove a listing, while a payment dispute may seek recovery of your money. A government complaint may help identify a pattern but usually isn't an individual refund process.

Marketplace complaint

Use the marketplace's official reporting and buyer-protection process, not just a social-media message. Attach:

• The order and payment records
• Screenshots of the listing and seller profile
• Photographs showing the suspected differences
• The brand's written assessment
• Your messages and the seller's response
• A short timeline and the refund you requested

Follow the platform's current instructions and deadline. If its forms distinguish among a refund request, an item-not-as-described claim, and a counterfeit report, submit the report that matches each issue.

Credit-card dispute

If you paid with a U.S. credit card, contact the card issuer promptly and ask how to dispute a charge for goods that weren't as described or were represented as genuine but appear counterfeit. The issuer will classify the dispute based on the transaction and the facts you provide.

The FTC says written notice generally must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error if you want to use the federal billing-error procedure. Keep a copy of the letter and attachments. Under the FTC's guidance, the issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint within 30 days unless it has already resolved it, and resolve the dispute within 90 days.

Those time periods apply to that federal written billing-error process; they aren't a universal deadline for every card-network or marketplace dispute. Follow the issuer's billing-dispute instructions and send the evidence it requests. Don't describe a normal product dispute as an unauthorized transaction unless you truly didn't authorize the payment.

Debit card, prepaid card, payment app, or wire transfer

The federal credit-card billing-error process doesn't automatically apply to debit cards, prepaid cards, payment apps, or wire transfers. Contact the provider immediately and ask about its dispute, reversal, or fraud-reporting procedure. Save the case number and submit the same organized evidence.

Payment apps and wire services may have narrow recovery rules, and a voluntary review isn't the same as a legal right to a refund. Be wary of anyone who promises to recover your money for an upfront fee.

FTC complaint

You can report suspected deceptive conduct through the FTC's complaint channel. Include the seller, listing, dates, amount, product details, and the evidence you've preserved.

An FTC complaint is an enforcement report, not a guaranteed refund application. Continue pursuing the seller, marketplace, and payment provider separately. The FTC's refund-program information applies to particular cases and settlements, not every counterfeit purchase.

Customs and safety reports

If you have information suggesting that counterfeit goods were imported, or that a customs broker was involved in a violation, review the U.S. Customs and Border Protection e-Allegations information. CBP also provides consumer information about reporting suspected counterfeit goods in its fake-goods guidance.

For a medicine, medical device, cosmetic, food, or other regulated product, notify the manufacturer and use the applicable federal safety-reporting channel. A safety report and a refund request have different purposes. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records may help identify the owner of a trademark, but the USPTO isn't the normal route for a consumer refund or marketplace complaint.

Organize the final evidence file

Keep one folder with clear names such as YYYY-MM-DD_order-confirmation and YYYY-MM-DD_product-seal. Include:

• A one-page timeline
• Purchase and payment records
• Seller and listing screenshots
• Original photographs and videos
• Brand or expert correspondence
• Messages and refund requests
• Shipping and return records
• Reports and case numbers
• A calculation of the amount you're requesting

Keep a backup in a secure location. Share only what each recipient needs. In your explanation, distinguish between your own observations, information supplied by the brand, test results, and official records.

Common questions

Is a packaging mistake enough to prove a product is counterfeit?

Usually not by itself. Packaging differences are useful leads. Combine them with the listing, seller information, serial verification, and a brand assessment where possible.

Does a serial-number check prove authenticity?

No. A number that fails the manufacturer's check can support a complaint, but a number that appears valid may have been copied. Consider the product, packaging, seller, and purchase records together.

Should I return the product immediately?

Preserve and document it first. If a legitimate seller or marketplace requires a return, follow its official instructions, use tracking, and keep proof of delivery. Don't return a potentially hazardous product without appropriate instructions.

Can the FTC or CBP get my money back?

Neither route should be treated as a guaranteed refund process. The seller, marketplace, or payment provider is usually the first place to seek recovery. FTC and CBP reports may support consumer-protection or customs enforcement, but they don't replace a refund request or payment dispute.

What if the amount is too large for a platform or card dispute?

Check your state's court rules for available civil claims. The FTC notes that small-claims limits vary by state, with some states setting the limit as high as $25,000. For a high-value loss, injury, or business-related claim, consider advice from a qualified professional in your state.

Start by saving the complete listing and payment record, then photograph the item before contacting the seller. Send the written refund request and calendar the marketplace and payment-provider deadlines.