From clothes and shoes to electronics and even aircraft engine parts, online retail sites and social media marketplaces are awash in counterfeit products, tricking consumers and companies into buying the fake goods.
Of 13,000 online consumers surveyed in 17 countries by the Michigan State University Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection, nearly 3 out of 4 reported having bought counterfeit products.
The fakes go beyond simple retail products. The Federal Aviation Administration warned aircraft engine makers in September that a London-based company called AOG Technics sold unauthorized parts by forging documentation of their authenticity. The agency asked airlines to inspect their aircraft to ensure they had genuine parts.
