The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency has urged households preparing their holiday shopping to steer clear of counterfeit products that can harm loved ones and legitimate businesses.
“Importing pirated or counterfeit merchandise is illegal, and consumers can be liable for penalties or fines even if the purchase was made by mistake,” said Susan S. Thomas, Acting Deputy Commissioner of the CBP Office of Trade. She added: “Don’t be fooled by fakes—exercise caution when you shop.”
CBP emphasised that illicit sales of counterfeit goods represent one of the most profitable transnational crimes and that the agency is “on the front line preventing illegal merchandise from entering the country.” In fiscal year 2025, CBP seized counterfeit goods valued at nearly USD 79 million; had they been authentic and sold at manufacturers’ suggested retail price, their worth would have topped USD 7.3 billion.
The items most frequently intercepted included clothing, electronic devices, toys and counterfeit medicines.
The federal agency noted that counterfeiters capitalise on popular items and trends—often through the internet—harming legitimate U.S. businesses. These fake goods range from medicines, perfumes and cosmetics to children’s toys, fashion items, jewellery, automotive parts and electronic components, all of which may pose serious risks to consumer health and safety.
For online shopping, CBP recommended good practices: trust your instincts (“if a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is”); shop only on trusted websites; research the product by examining photos, reviews and seller details; avoid suspicious websites with spelling mistakes or no clear refund policy or contact method; and prioritise secure payments and data protection.
“It is essential for buyers to understand that purchasing cheap and counterfeit products is not without consequences. It may harm your loved ones due to toxic materials, and even fund criminal activities,” said Diane J. Sabatino, Acting Deputy Commissioner of CBP’s Office of Field Operations.
Thomas added: “Inspect the packaging and product upon receipt. Check for missing security seals, unusual packaging, typographical errors or broken items.”
One of the largest counterfeit seizures publicly disclosed by CBP occurred in 2018, when officers intercepted four shipments of counterfeit Mexican national team jerseys with an estimated retail value of USD 66,390 if genuine. All shipments originated from Hong Kong and were bound for El Paso addresses. A few days later, another four shipments valued at approximately USD 47,340 included shirts of the national teams of Mexico, Germany and Brazil. During that fiscal year, CBP officers in El Paso made around 400 intellectual property-rights seizures.
Source: El Diario MX
