As people start buying gifts ahead of the holidays, federal law enforcement says now is the time when there is an uptick in the sale of counterfeit goods.
Officials said 67 million fake products worth billions of dollars have been seized by federal authorities since 2024. Some are items many would expect: fake designer handbags, shoes and jewelry.
Others are much more surprising. For example, a phony World Series trophy was confiscated, as was a fake FIFA World Cup award.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations displayed some of the seized items at an event Tuesday at JFK Airport. Officials warned against getting scammed into buying fake goods, as not only can buyers lose out on money, but there are safety concerns as well.
Knockoff pharmaceuticals, perfumes and cosmetics can have harmful chemicals like arsenic and antifreeze, law enforcement warned. Toys and electronics, meanwhile, are at risk of catching fire with unregulated lithium-ion batteries.
“We’ve seized so many products that have lead and poisons and other contaminants. These products are not safe for you, they’re not good for you. They can damage you and your property,” said Francis J. Russo, the director of field operations for CBP’s New York office.
Agents said the issue they have with enforcement is the rise in online shopping. People buy online and distributors ship it straight to them, which makes it harder for law enforcement to track down crime pipelines.
Officials recommend buying products in person at reputable stories, or if buying online, doing so directly from the company’s site. They also warn that if a deal on a product seems too good to be true, it probably is.