How Counterfeiters Trick Unsuspecting Shoppers

More consumers are getting duped by counterfeits than ever before, and it’s commonly believed that the majority of people buying counterfeit products are actively looking for them—with nothing that authentic brands can do to stop it. 

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That is a myth. New research shows a staggering 71.6% of shoppers who purchased counterfeit products were searching for genuine items, and 55.8% believed the item they bought was the real thing.

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The driving force behind the growth of the global counterfeiting industry is the improving ability of counterfeiters to do their job. To infiltrate trusted shopping environments, set up convincing websites, avoid traditional brand protection efforts, and dupe unwitting shoppers.

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In this article, we’ll take a closer look at each of these in depth, using data from the latest research on brand protection.

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Counterfeiters Infiltrating Major Marketplaces

Counterfeiters are getting better at listing fake products online—and then keeping those products up for sale. 

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There’s a constant improvement of their methods, allowing them to keep fake products on popular platforms—methods focused on outpacing traditional brand protection efforts. Many brands still rely on outdated "whac-a-mole" tactics—finding and removing infringing listings, only to see them reappear hours later. This rinse-and-repeat approach isn't a solution. 

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In the United States, trusted marketplaces dominate online shopping. Consumers often believe that counterfeit products are only a problem on foreign websites. But that's not the case. A huge 60.4% of counterfeit purchases happen on marketplaces based in America. 

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Yet, the issue isn't confined to American marketplaces. Counterfeiters in Asia, particularly China, continue to be a significant source of fake goods. Chinese marketplaces are over-represented as sources of counterfeits. 

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Our research shows that 32.8% of respondents have purchased a counterfeit from a China-based online marketplace—a number that rises to 42.2% among Generation Z shoppers. China also faces challenges with selling counterfeits wholesale, which then flood into other countries and reach consumers unsuspectingly.

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It’s clear to see that counterfeiters leverage the trust consumers place in well-known marketplaces. This makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to avoid fakes. Trusted marketplaces are struggling to keep counterfeit listings off their platforms, and without innovative brand protection strategies, counterfeiters will continue to have the upper hand.

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Augmented Impersonating Websites

Counterfeiters have become experts at building websites that mimic legitimate brands. These sites now appear completely legitimate, making it nearly impossible for the average shopper to tell the difference between a brand’s real online shopfront and an impersonator.

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Many of these fake websites feature AI-powered chatbots. This lets them engage customers with seemingly real customer service interactions, guiding them through product inquiries, purchases, and even upselling—making it harder for shoppers to realize they’re on a counterfeit site. 

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Our research shows that 3.0% of counterfeit sales are being made with help from chatbots—a number only set to rise as the technology becomes more sophisticated and accessible. As this technology is becoming more popular with real businesses, allowing counterfeiters access to chatbots grants them a clear impression of legitimacy for many customers.

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And then, we have the latest trend of counterfeiters employing desktop cloaking tactics. THis is a particularly sneaky strategy wherein different versions of the same site are shown to different users. Consumers browsing on mobile devices often see the counterfeit products, while brand protection professionals monitoring from desktop computers may see a completely legitimate storefront. It’s a clever trick, leveraging the different browsing habits of their customer base and the brands trying to stop them.

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Brands need to understand that their intellectual property isn’t just being used to sell knockoff goods, but also for larger, more dangerous crimes like identity theft, adding another layer of risk to their brand’s reputation.

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Counterfeiters also leverage paid social ads on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to give these fake sites a further appearance of legitimacy. By promoting their fake domains through sponsored posts or ads, they’re able to reach consumers who think they’re being redirected to a genuine brand’s website.

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Superfakes

Improving product quality is another factor preventing shoppers from noticing fakes at first sight. Counterfeiters have reached a new level of deception with what are now called superfakes—counterfeit products that are so meticulously crafted that only the actual brands can distinguish them from the real thing. 

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These superfakes often use the same or nearly identical materials as genuine products in industries like luxury fashion, where counterfeit handbags or accessories can closely mimic the real thing. Every detail, from the stitching to the packaging, is replicated with such precision that even experts struggle to spot the difference. 

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In other industries, like cosmetics, counterfeiters may only be skilled at creating convincing look-alikes, using cheaper materials that can be harmful to consumers.

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A great example comes from Tarte Cosmetics, where even the company's own IP protection team is stunned by how convincing the counterfeit versions are. Airina Rodrigues, who works to protect Tarte's intellectual property, noted that only minuscule details reveal that a product is fake. 

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Buyers might not realize the product is fake when they purchase it, nor even when it arrives. The counterfeiters focus entirely on mimicking the look and feel of the real thing, the only elements needed to sell a fake. 

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But, this is where the danger lies. When counterfeit products, especially products like cosmetics, are copied so well, consumers don't think twice before using them—and this can have severe consequences.

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Testing of counterfeit beauty and hygiene products has revealed some alarming findings. These fakes often contain dangerous, carcinogenic ingredients such as beryllium oxide, and harmful heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury. The risks of applying these products to your skin—especially your face—are extremely high

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Superfakes may be incredibly convincing, but the consequences of using them—especially for personal care products—can be dire.

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Counterfeiters Are Winning and It’s Time for Brands to Adapt

Research data taken from the State of Brand Protection Report 2025 makes it clear that most consumers don’t intentionally buy counterfeit products. In fact, they’re mostly being tricked by sneaky strategies. Counterfeiters have mastered the art of deception, infiltrating trusted platforms and creating visually perfect replicas that are hard to detect even for the brand owners.

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To add onto this, counterfeiters are more than capable of leveraging new technology like AI chatbots and desktop cloaking to mask their activities, making it difficult for both brands and consumers to spot the fakes.

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So, what can be done about this issue? To fight back, companies must improve their online protection strategies, adopting scalable, AI-driven solutions to monitor counterfeit activities across platforms. 

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Consumers, too, need to stay vigilant by verifying website authenticity, checking product listings for red flags, and ensuring the credibility of the sellers they buy from.

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There’s no doubt that counterfeiters will continue to refine their methods, making it crucial for both brands and shoppers to remain cautious—even on trusted platforms.