Suspected counterfeit? Start here

Treat the item as a suspected counterfeit until the evidence is clear. Stop using it immediately if it's a medicine, charger, electronic device, children's product, cosmetic, protective item, or anything else that could create a safety risk. Before returning it, photograph the product and packaging, save the listing and order records, and open the seller or marketplace's refund process.

The refund, payment dispute, and government-reporting steps serve different purposes:

There is no single U.S. complaint form for every counterfeit claim. Keep the item and your evidence until the marketplace, payment provider, brand, or agency gives you return or disposal instructions.

Quick checklist

Counterfeit or gray-market product?

A counterfeit typically uses a brand name, logo, packaging, or product identity without authorization. A gray-market product is generally genuine but was sold outside the brand's authorized distribution network. It may have different packaging, a different warranty, or no U.S. warranty. Those differences alone don't prove that it is fake.

Other problems can look similar:

Use careful language in your report. Saying "I suspect this is counterfeit" is more accurate than stating that it is proven fake when the brand or a qualified authenticator hasn't confirmed it.

Build an evidence file before reporting

Take the photographs and save the records before sending the item back. A marketplace or card issuer may need to see how the product differs from the listing. The brand may also need photographs or the physical item to investigate.

Put the following in one folder:

Evidence What to capture
Product photographs All sides, logos, stitching, materials, labels, holograms, safety marks, serial numbers, and defects
Packaging Boxes, inserts, seals, manuals, shipping labels, and unusual spelling or printing
Purchase records Receipt, order number, date, price, payment method, shipping address, and tracking information
Online listing Product title, photographs, description, seller name or ID, URL, and claims such as "authentic" or "genuine"
Communications Seller messages, promises about authenticity, refund refusals, and threats
Verification A written response from the brand, an authorized retailer, or a qualified testing service
Comparison material Photographs or specifications for a known genuine product from an official source
Loss information Purchase price, return shipping, medical expenses, or other documented costs

Keep the original files as well as copies. A listing can disappear after a seller removes it, so note when you captured each screenshot. Don't crop out details that could help identify the listing or seller.

A serial-number search is useful, but it isn't conclusive by itself. Counterfeiters can copy valid numbers, and some genuine products don't have a public verification tool. For an expensive item or a disputed claim, an independent authentication report or written manufacturer response may help. Before paying for one, check whether the marketplace or payment provider actually requires it.

Request the refund through the seller and marketplace

Start with the order record, not a personal email address copied from the listing. Capture the listing first, then use the marketplace's current order-help, return, or item-not-as-described process.

  1. Explain that the item appears counterfeit or is materially different from the listing.
  2. Attach the photographs, purchase record, and any brand verification.
  3. Request a full refund and say that you'll follow the platform's return instructions.
  4. Save the case number, submission date, automated notices, and seller response.
  5. Don't close the case because the seller promises to pay later.
  6. If a return is required, use the platform's instructions. Photograph the parcel and keep the tracking record.

For an Amazon order, use the Help or return flow attached to the order. If the order is eligible for an A-to-z Guarantee claim, use the process shown in your account. The available remedy and deadline depend on the marketplace, order, seller, and applicable terms, so don't rely on a copied deadline from another buyer or country.

On eBay, use the order-resolution process for an item that isn't as described, and report the listing separately if you suspect it is counterfeit. eBay's counterfeit item policy addresses prohibited counterfeit goods. Other marketplaces use different names for their procedures. The practical rule is the same: preserve the listing, open the order case promptly, and keep the conversation inside the platform where possible.

A marketplace report may help remove a listing, but it doesn't replace a refund request, a payment dispute, or a government complaint. Those are separate processes.

Dispute the payment accurately

Tell the payment provider what actually happened. If you approved the purchase but received a fake, describe it as a suspected counterfeit or merchandise-not-as-described problem. Don't call it an unauthorized transaction unless someone used your account or card without permission.

Credit card

A federal billing-error deadline generally applies when a credit-card purchase wasn't delivered as agreed or was materially different from what was represented. The FTC's billing-error guidance says that a dispute must generally be made in writing within 60 days after the statement containing the error was sent.

Contact the issuer as soon as you notice the problem. Then send the written dispute to the billing-dispute address on your statement, which may be different from the address used for payments. Include:

The issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days unless it has already resolved it. It generally must finish the investigation within two billing cycles and no later than 90 days. You generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges while the issuer investigates, but keep paying amounts that aren't part of the dispute. Follow the issuer's instructions and respond if it asks for more information. A dispute isn't an automatic refund.

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

The 60-day credit-card billing-error rule doesn't automatically apply to other payment methods. Contact the bank, prepaid-card provider, or payment app immediately and ask which merchandise-dispute or fraud process fits the transaction.

Recovery can depend on whether you authorized the payment, whether the seller has already received the money, and the provider's terms. Be precise about authorization: an approved purchase that produced a fake is different from an account takeover or stolen card.

If the problem is that the order never arrived, keep the seller's promised delivery date and any revised delivery notices. The FTC's online-shopping guidance says that when a seller gives no shipping time, it generally must ship within 30 days after receiving the information needed to process the order.

Report the problem to the appropriate U.S. authority

FTC: deceptive selling or fraud

Report a seller that advertised a fake as genuine, copied a brand identity, or repeatedly deceived buyers through the FTC complaint page. Include the seller's name, website or marketplace, listing information, payment details, and the evidence showing what was represented.

An FTC complaint isn't a refund request. Continue pursuing the refund through the seller, marketplace, or payment provider. The FTC can use complaints to identify patterns and possible enforcement targets, but it doesn't promise individual recovery.

FDA: suspect medicines and safety problems

Don't take a medicine you suspect is counterfeit. If you may have been harmed, seek medical care and tell the clinician what you took. Keep the package, lot or batch number, expiration date, seller information, and photographs.

For a suspect medicine or an adverse event involving an FDA-regulated product, consumers can use the FDA's MedWatch online portal or Consumer Form FDA 3500B. The FDA's MedWatch instructions describe the information to provide. Include symptoms, dates, doses, and other relevant facts when there was an adverse event.

The right safety-reporting route depends on the product and the hazard. A suspect electronic device, toy, cosmetic, food, or other product may require a different agency or state consumer-protection route. The FTC is still relevant when deceptive selling is the main problem.

Imports and commercial counterfeiting

If the item appears to be part of an imported shipment or a broader seller network, check the current reporting instructions for U.S. Customs and Border Protection's e-Allegations intake. The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center may also accept information about organized intellectual-property crime.

Include the shipment or tracking number, carrier, seller, website, destination, quantity, product identifiers, and any evidence of the brand owner's rights. Use current instructions from the agency rather than an address supplied in a private message. An agency report doesn't guarantee a seizure, a follow-up, or recovery of your money.

If the seller is located in your state, the state attorney general or a local consumer-protection office may offer another complaint route. The process and possible remedy vary by state.

A complaint template

Use specific facts, dates, and attachments. Avoid threats and avoid presenting an unconfirmed suspicion as a proven fact.

Subject: Suspected counterfeit product from order [order number]

I purchased [product and model] from [seller or platform] on [date] for [amount]. The listing described it as [exact authenticity claim].

I suspect the item is counterfeit because [specific differences, missing features, unusual packaging, or written verification]. I have attached photographs of [list attachments], the order record, and [brand or expert response, if available].

Please review the listing and transaction and confirm the next steps for returning the item and requesting a refund. The listing was available at [listing link] and the seller account was [seller name or ID].

Please provide a case number and preserve the listing and related transaction records.

Send only the personal information needed for the complaint. Redact unrelated account numbers, identification documents, and other buyers' information.

If you're a brand or authorized agent

A brand owner has reporting options that an ordinary buyer usually doesn't. Before submitting an intellectual-property complaint, collect:

Use the marketplace's intellectual-property reporting portal or brand-protection program. A consumer shouldn't use a rights-owner form unless the brand has authorized them to do so.

For repeated commercial infringement, preserve the records before contacting the seller. A cease-and-desist letter isn't required to request a consumer refund, and sending one doesn't guarantee that the seller will stop. Litigation, customs recordation, and injunction requests have different requirements. An intellectual-property attorney can explain which option fits the evidence and the business's goal.

Avoid these mistakes

Frequently asked questions

Do I need expert authentication before reporting?

Not always. A marketplace or payment provider may accept photographs, the listing, and a brand's written response. Authentication is more useful for expensive goods, disputed claims, and potential legal action. Check the recipient's requirements before paying for a report.

Can I report a counterfeit anonymously?

Some government intake systems may accept anonymous information, while a marketplace case usually requires order or account details. Check the current terms before assuming anonymity. Leaving out your contact information may also limit follow-up.

Should I return a suspected counterfeit?

Follow the marketplace or payment provider's instructions. Preserve the evidence first, use the required return method, and keep the tracking record. Don't send the item to an unverified address supplied through a private message.

Will an FTC or customs report get my money back?

Not necessarily. Agency reports support enforcement and public-safety work. A refund normally requires a separate request to the seller, marketplace, payment provider, or another remedy available under the applicable terms.

If you still have the product, photograph it and the listing before doing anything else. Then open the marketplace case, contact the payment provider promptly, and file the agency report that matches the product or safety risk.