Counterfeit Product Investigations

Q: How do I find out who is selling counterfeit versions of my product?

You find out by investigating the seller, not just the listing. We detect the counterfeit versions when they appear, identify the people behind the storefront, and trace the product back through the import and distribution chain to the makers and importers. You get named operators and a documented chain, not just a takedown.

Q: Are counterfeit products on Amazon really dangerous?

Often yes. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals, injectables, cosmetics, batteries, electronics, and automotive parts regularly fail safety standards and reach consumers who believe the product is genuine. Because the fake listing looks identical to the real one, the buyer has no way to tell the difference until something goes wrong.

Q: Can counterfeit sellers be identified behind anonymous storefronts?

Yes. An anonymous storefront is a front, not a dead end. We identify the people operating it, connect the accounts tied to the same operation, and trace the product back to its source, then document it all to a standard that supports enforcement.

Q: What can I do once the counterfeiters are identified?

With the operators identified and the network mapped, you can pursue marketplace takedowns that stick, IP litigation, customs and CBP referral, and criminal referral. We are investigators, not attorneys, so we deliver the evidence and work alongside your counsel and the authorities.

Q: How is this different from a brand protection software subscription?

Monitoring software watches listings and files takedowns. It does not tell you who is behind the fakes or where they come from. We investigate the people and the supply chain, so instead of playing whack-a-mole with listings, you can dismantle the operation producing them.

Q: Do you perform test purchases?

Yes. We conduct documented test purchases under our Florida private investigator license with full chain of custody, so the counterfeit product and how it was obtained stand up as evidence for takedowns, litigation, and referral.

We identify fakes the moment they appear online and trace them to the sellers, importers, and makers behind them.

Counterfeiting is a massive criminal industry, and dangerous fakes reach consumers every day through listings built to look exactly like the real thing. We identify the counterfeit versions of your product the moment they appear online and trace them to the sellers, importers, and makers behind them.

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The counterfeit crisis is a public-safety problem too

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Dangerous to consumers

Fakes skip the safety, materials, and quality controls of genuine product. That harms your customers and creates real liability for your brand.

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Built to look real

Listings copy yours exactly, down to the images and packaging. Buyers cannot tell the difference until the product fails.

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Anonymous by design

Storefronts hide the operators behind them. Removing one listing does nothing to the operation producing the fakes.

We take counterfeit operations apart

STEP 01

Detect

We find the fakes the moment counterfeit versions of your product surface online, and we document them.

STEP 02

Identify

The account is the front. We name the people running the storefront and connect the accounts tied to the same operation.

STEP 03

Map

We trace the supply chain backward through import channels, warehouses, routes, and the makers behind them.

STEP 04

Enforce

We deliver evidence built for seller-level takedowns, civil action, and law-enforcement referral.

The sellers named and the network mapped

Counterfeit listings and storefronts identified

The sellers behind the accounts, named

Production and import network mapped

Documented test purchases where appropriate

Court-ready evidence package

Marketplace and law-enforcement enforcement support

LicensedFlorida PI · A-1400197

SellersNamed behind anonymous fronts

FederalAgency collaboration record

NationwideFlorida based, cases anywhere

Licensed investigators, not a dashboard

Software flags and removes listings. It does not identify the people behind them or trace where the fakes are made. We deliver named sellers, the production and import network, and an evidence package built for enforcement, by a licensed Florida private investigator with a record of federal-agency collaboration.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find out who is selling counterfeit versions of my product?

We detect the counterfeit listings, then work back from the storefront and linked accounts to name the sellers, and trace the supply chain to the importers and makers behind them.

Are counterfeit products on Amazon really dangerous?

Often yes. Fakes skip the safety, materials, and quality controls of genuine product, which is a real risk for consumers and a serious liability for your brand.

Can counterfeit sellers be identified behind anonymous storefronts?

Yes. The storefront is a front. We connect the accounts that belong to the same operation and identify the real people running it.

What can I do once the counterfeiters are identified?

Use the evidence to drive seller-level marketplace takedowns, civil action, and law-enforcement referral, and to cut off the supply behind the listings rather than removing one fake at a time.

How is this different from a brand protection software subscription?

Software flags and removes listings. It does not identify the people behind them or trace the supply chain. We deliver named operators, the network, and evidence built for enforcement.

Do you perform test purchases?

Yes, where appropriate. Documented test purchases help authenticate the fake, tie it to a seller, and decode shipping and packaging that point back to the source.

Counterfeit investigations across Florida, city by city: Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, and Fort Lauderdale. Statewide overview: Florida brand protection investigations.

An Enforcement Action Needs a Name

Brand owners and the attorneys who enforce for them hire counterfeit investigation services because an enforcement action needs a defendant with a name. We take the matter from the brand directly or from its counsel. Each test purchase and each seller we identify is documented to the standard a filing requires, so counsel can move against the operation without redoing the investigation.

Your Examiner

Matt Aubin, CDFE, FBCI

Managing Partner, E3 Legacy Intel · FL Licensed Investigator A-1400197

Every matter on this page is worked under a named, licensed examiner. Matt Aubin brings seventeen years in cybercrime and open source intelligence. He is a Certified Digital Forensics Examiner (CDFE), a Florida Board Certified Investigator (FBCI), and a Certified AI Agent Developer, and he has investigated cases jointly with the FBI, the SEC, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Marshals.

His work has been featured on ABC News, Spectrum News, and The Daily Beast, and in a television pilot for Netflix and MAC Pictures as a cybercrime expert. He keynotes nationally and serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Association of Licensed Investigators (FALI). About Matt Aubin

Related investigations

Brand Protection Counterfeit vs Gray Market Product Diversion Florida Brand Protection

Map the Counterfeit Network

Behind a counterfeit listing is a supply chain, sellers, warehouses, and shippers. With lawfully-sourced geolocation intelligence and criminal network mapping, we connect the parties, staging sites, and movement behind a counterfeiting or diversion operation, turning a single fake product into a mapped network you and your counsel can act on.

Counterfeits move differently on every platform. For goods sold through the in app shop on TikTok, see our work on TikTok Shop counterfeit investigations. For listings coming out of the Shein and Temu supply chain, see Shein and Temu counterfeit investigations. For fakes turning up on StockX, Poshmark, eBay and the other resale sites, see resale marketplace counterfeit investigations.

Tell us what happened

A licensed examiner reads every inquiry. You get a written, flat fee quote before any work starts. Or call (877) 732-6648.