Amid the growing threat of organised cyber fraud and counterfeit product networks, Amazon has called for the creation of an industry-wide data-sharing mechanism to help e-commerce companies identify and disrupt repeat offenders operating across multiple online marketplaces. The company said organised fraud groups no longer target a single platform but move quickly between marketplaces, making coordinated action essential to protect consumers and brands.
A senior Amazon executive said e-commerce companies should develop a secure framework to exchange intelligence on organised fraudsters. According to the company, removing a fraudulent seller or cybercriminal from one platform alone is often ineffective, as such actors frequently reappear on competing marketplaces. Amazon believes that industry-wide collaboration would significantly improve the ability to detect and dismantle organised fraud networks.
The company said it had previously explored data-sharing initiatives with government agencies and industry forums, but wider participation across the ecosystem remained limited. It suggested that a future framework should allow companies to share information related to suspicious activities and repeat offenders without disclosing commercially sensitive business data.
As part of its broader anti-counterfeiting efforts, Amazon has recently expanded its Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) to India. The specialised investigative unit works with brands, sellers and law enforcement agencies to identify and dismantle organised counterfeit and e-commerce fraud networks. Unlike routine enforcement measures that simply remove suspicious product listings, the unit gathers evidence and supports both civil and criminal action against organised offenders.
Amazon said removing fraudulent sellers from a single marketplace is not enough because they can quickly resume operations elsewhere. The objective, it said, is to identify the broader criminal network, understand how it operates and work with enforcement agencies to ensure action is taken against those responsible.
According to the company’s global figures, the Counterfeit Crimes Unit has helped take action against more than 32,000 suspected counterfeiters and fraudsters worldwide. It has also prevented over 15 million counterfeit products from reaching consumers and contributed to nearly 300 criminal convictions resulting in imprisonment.
The India unit, launched around two months ago, has already begun reporting cases and assisting investigative agencies with evidence related to organised fraud. Amazon said several major brands had long advocated for such a specialised investigative unit in India and that its initial progress had exceeded internal expectations.
The company also noted that an increasing share of online fraud now originates outside e-commerce platforms through phishing links, fake websites, fraudulent mobile applications and impersonation attempts. Cybercriminals often lure consumers to counterfeit websites where they attempt to steal personal, financial and banking information. Amazon said it uses artificial intelligence to detect fraudulent websites and also provides customers with tools to verify whether emails, messages or calls claiming to be from the company are genuine.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said organised e-commerce fraud has evolved far beyond the sale of counterfeit products and now includes phishing websites, fake mobile applications, identity theft and multi-platform fraud operations. He said cybercriminals frequently migrate from one platform to another after enforcement action, making secure industry-wide intelligence sharing, real-time information exchange and close coordination with law enforcement agencies critical to dismantling organised cybercrime networks. He also advised consumers to use only official websites and verified mobile applications and to remain cautious of suspicious links, unsolicited messages and offers that appear too good to be true.
