Around the globe, more than two raids are carried out daily by trade supervisory and law enforcement authorities targeting counterfeit Mercedes-Benz parts. Over 142,000 counterfeit product listings have been removed from social media and online platforms. Mercedes-Benz’s brand protection team primarily targets safety-relevant counterfeits and continues to broaden its efforts.
Mercedes-Benz collaborates closely with trade supervisory and law enforcement authorities to combat counterfeiters. The primary focus is on safety-related counterfeit parts, which pose significant dangers if they lack the quality of genuine components. In May and June 2023, authorities seized counterfeit paper air filters that could cause severe accidents once installed.
Other counterfeit items, including brake parts, wheels, and body and steering components, were also confiscated. These fake parts are destroyed upon seizure. In 2023 alone, authorities seized over 1.6 million counterfeit Mercedes-Benz parts in more than 740 raids worldwide, marking a nearly 20 percent increase in raids compared to the previous year.
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“The counterfeiting industry generates enormous profits and operates like organized crime. It jeopardizes road safety, disregards environmental concerns, and fails to provide fair wages or safe working conditions. There are no quality controls. By consistently taking action against these highly criminal structures using all legal means, we protect not only our brand’s reputation but also our customers, other road users, and all victims of the counterfeiting industry.
Working closely with the authorities, we have been able to directly locate many counterfeit factories,” said Renata Jungo Brüngger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG for Integrity, Governance & Sustainability.
Raids are often the result of months of investigation and preparation. The brand protection team at Mercedes-Benz scrutinizes offers on websites, investigates indications of counterfeiting, and conducts extensive research to identify the counterfeit factories. They provide their findings to the authorities responsible for conducting the raids. Detecting product counterfeits reliably requires a trained eye and years of experience, as counterfeits often look almost identical to genuine parts.
The global Intellectual Property Enforcement Team at Mercedes-Benz is frequently called upon by authorities to quickly verify counterfeit parts. In 2023, an average of more than two raids per day occurred worldwide.
Counterfeiting networks are increasingly using online platforms and social media to distribute fake products on a large scale. These counterfeiters exploit the extensive anonymity and decentralized nature of online marketplaces and technologies. To combat this, Mercedes-Benz is continuously expanding its strategic and operational anti-counterfeiting measures, including those in online retail.
In 2023, the brand protectors removed over 142,000 counterfeit Mercedes-Benz product listings and content infringing trademark rights. Their brand protection strategy is based on three pillars: tracking down, attacking, and preventing. Mercedes-Benz brand protectors also support customs authorities and service providers with training events and provide information materials to raise awareness.
To avoid falling for counterfeit products, consumers can follow a few simple guidelines. Start by carefully examining conspicuous offers in everyday online and offline transactions. Typical warning signs of counterfeit products include significantly lower prices, unusual product quality, or sales through dubious sources.
Sometimes, it is evident from product images or descriptions that the items cannot be genuine, especially if Mercedes-Benz does not manufacture these products. However, many counterfeit offers are visually indistinguishable from genuine products, making it difficult for the average consumer to detect them.
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