During the holiday season, shoppers are being urged to stay vigilant against counterfeit products, especially when shopping online. Senator Chuck Grassley, co-chair of the Congressional Trademark Caucus, emphasized the importance of consumer awareness at this time of year.
“As co-chair of the Congressional Trademark Caucus, I lead an annual dialogue in December to raise public awareness about counterfeit products to help educate consumers, particularly during the holiday shopping season. Families work hard for their money and when buying presents for friends and loved ones, you don’t want to end up gifting them with imposter products and getting ripped off with fake knock-offs. What’s worse, some of these fake products pose potential health hazards because they’re not in compliance with safety standards, storage requirements or quality controls,” Grassley said.
Online shopping now accounts for nearly one-third of all holiday spending. This increase has made it more important for consumers to be cautious about where they buy toys, clothing, electronics, perfume, cosmetics, or jewelry. Grassley noted that he and Senator Chris Coons of Delaware have used their positions as co-chairs of the bipartisan trademark caucus to warn fraudsters and inform shoppers. They were joined by organizations such as the International Trademark Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center in efforts to provide helpful tips.
Grassley explained that counterfeit goods harm both customers and legitimate businesses: “Make no mistake, fake goods rip off customers and harm the bottom lines of law-abiding brands and entrepreneurs. Sales of counterfeit products also have a ripple effect on Main Street, making it harder for businesses to grow and create jobs.”
To address these issues legislatively, Grassley pointed out his support for laws like the INFORM Consumers Act—which took effect in 2023—to improve transparency regarding third-party sellers on online marketplaces. He has also introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at giving U.S. Customs and Border Protection more authority to share information about suspected counterfeit shipments with intellectual property holders and e-commerce platforms.
When asked what shoppers should keep in mind before making purchases this season, Grassley advised caution: “Shoppers need to be wary and use common sense when making a purchase. Trust your gut instinct. If the price sounds too good to be true for a luxury item or branded product, it likely is.” He added that buying counterfeit merchandise can cause economic damage along supply chains and may expose buyers to unsafe products.
Experts at a recent policy forum on Capitol Hill recommended several strategies for avoiding fakes: double-checking branded websites before purchasing from third-party sellers; ensuring URLs are legitimate; watching out for grammar mistakes or unclear photos in product descriptions; and calling phone numbers listed on packaging to verify authenticity.
Consumers can find additional guidance from The Toy Association at https://playsafe.org. Counterfeit scams can be reported directly to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) via https://ReportFraud.ftc.gov
