How to Report and Remove Counterfeit Listings on Amazon

Counterfeit listings and unauthorized sellers can severely damage a brand’s reputation, impact sales, and erode customer trust. If you’re an established brand selling on Amazon through the 3P marketplace, unauthorized sellers can undercut your pricing, sell fake products, and hijack your listings. Protecting your brand on Amazon requires a strong strategy to identify and report these bad actors before they harm your business.

What Are Amazon Unauthorized Sellers?

Unauthorized sellers on Amazon are third-party (3P) sellers who list and sell your branded products without permission. They often source products from gray markets, liquidation channels, or even counterfeit manufacturers. These sellers can:

• Undercut your pricing, leading to loss of control over your Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policy.
• Sell counterfeit or expired products, leading to negative customer experiences.
• Cause Buy Box suppression, reducing your visibility and conversions.
• Violate Amazon’s policies by misrepresenting product authenticity.

Amazon does not proactively remove unauthorized sellers unless brands take action by reporting them through proper channels.

Steps to Report Unauthorized Sellers on Amazon

1. Identify Unauthorized Sellers

Before reporting, confirm whether the seller is unauthorized. Check their seller name, fulfillment method, and product condition. Use these steps:

• Buy Box Monitoring: If your brand isn’t winning the Buy Box despite having strong account health and competitive pricing, an unauthorized seller may be active.
• Order a Test Buy: Purchase the product to check if it matches your original inventory. If it’s counterfeit or of inferior quality, document the proof.
• Track Seller Details: Go to the seller’s profile and collect their seller ID, name, and location. Cross-check with your authorized distributors.

2. Use Amazon’s Report Infringement Tool

Amazon offers a Report Infringement form where brands can submit complaints about unauthorized sellers. Follow these steps:

• Go to Amazon’s Report Infringement page
• Choose Intellectual Property (IP) Violation or Counterfeit Complaint
• Provide the ASIN, seller name, and evidence of unauthorized selling
• Submit the form and track your complaint status in Seller Central

3. File a Complaint Through Brand Registry

Amazon Brand Registry offers additional protection for registered brand owners. If your brand is enrolled, follow these steps:

• Navigate to Brand Registry Support in Seller Central
• Select Report a Violation and enter the ASIN and seller details
• Attach evidence such as invoices, trademark certificates, or test-buy reports
• Amazon will review and take action if the seller violates policies

4. Send a Cease and Desist Letter

If Amazon doesn’t take immediate action, consider sending a Cease and Desist Letter to the unauthorized seller. This legal notice warns them to stop selling your products. Work with an Amazon-experienced attorney to draft an enforceable letter.

5. Report Counterfeit Listings via Amazon Project Zero

For brands facing repeated counterfeiting issues, Amazon Project Zero enables automated removals of fake listings. You can:

• Use Self-Service Counterfeit Removal to take down listings instantly.
• Apply for Product Serialization to track your inventory better.
• Leverage AI Scanning that detects suspicious listings before they go live.

Source: https://ryanhogue.com/ 

6. Enforce Distribution Agreements

Unauthorized sellers often source products from gray markets or liquidation channels. To prevent this:

• Implement MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) policies to maintain pricing control.
• Work with authorized distributors and track their supply chain.
• Use Amazon’s Transparency Program to apply unique codes to your products, preventing unauthorized reselling.

How to Prevent Unauthorized Sellers in the Future

Stopping unauthorized sellers isn’t just about reporting them—it’s about strengthening your brand protection strategy. Here’s how:

✅ Enroll in Amazon Brand Registry: Gain more control over listings and IP protection tools.

✅ Use Amazon Transparency: Apply unique QR codes to your inventory to prevent counterfeiters from entering the marketplace.

✅ Set Up MAP Policies: Work with distributors to enforce minimum pricing agreements, preventing unauthorized reselling.

✅ Monitor Your Listings Daily: Use third-party tools like Helium 10, BrandShield, or Red Points to track suspicious sellers and get alerts.

Conclusion

Unauthorized sellers on Amazon can harm your brand’s credibility and profitability. Taking proactive steps like using Amazon’s infringement tools, enrolling in Brand Registry, and enforcing distribution agreements can help you maintain control over your listings. 

If your brand needs expert assistance in managing and removing unauthorized sellers, Prime Retail Solution offers specialized Amazon 3P marketplace services to protect your business. Book a FREE consultation with our experts today!