Amazon Fake FBI and Secret Service Badges Endanger the Public

Items available to terrorists, child predators and other criminals.

February 6, 2017, Los Angeles, CA – It is shocking that Amazon would engage in a particularly serious threat to national security, consumer safety and public confidence by making fake FBI, Secret Service, and other replica police badges and identification available to terrorists, child predators and other criminals.

In addition to federal, state and local laws that regulate the sale, purchase, possession and display of fake badges, and of course common sense, at issue is Amazon’s illusory claim; "The sale of counterfeit products, including any products that have been illegally replicated, reproduced, or manufactured, is strictly prohibited" -- but the fact is that replica law enforcement badges are being sold on Amazon. It appears that profit prevails over policy and common sense with the e-commerce giant, who makes $3 billion a year in profits.

In addition to protecting our nation’s leaders, Secret Service Agents investigate violations of laws relating to currency and financial crimes such as credit card and access device fraud, as well as computer-based attacks on the nation’s banking and telecommunications. The use of the word “Secret Service” on commercial products without written permission of the Director of the United States Secret Service is a crime,.

Federal law has protected the FBI seal against unauthorized commercial use, including use of the words “Federal Bureau of Investigation” or the initialism "F.B.I." since 1954. Unauthorized use of the seal is subject to federal criminal prosecution under prohibited by 18 U.S. §701 and §709.

Could you identify the fake badges obtained from Amazon, or identification bearing the FBI seal? 

(Photo: The Counterfeit Report)

All sorts of despicable things are involved in counterfeiting; terrorism, child labor exploitation, kidnapping, money laundering and organized crime.  Terrorism is in the forefront of public safety concerns daily, yet Amazon allows current style replica FBI and U.S. Secret Service badges on its website, which were easily purchased by The Counterfeit Report. Reports to Amazon went unaddressed, and the listings remain.

18,000 U.S. federal, state and local law enforcement agencies employ 1.1 million men and women who rely on easily recognizable identification to secure public trust and reassure confidence. The consequences or misuse of counterfeits is indisputable, for example;

• False credentials and badges have been used to attempt restricted area access at airports, including an August 2015 incident in which a man was indicted for impersonating a federal law enforcement agent. He used a counterfeit Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) badge and credentials to enter the Naval Nuclear Training Command in South Carolina while armed with a Sig Sauer pistol.
• In another incident, a man watching a movie at a theatre in Michigan was wearing body armor and carrying a firearm. When approached by police, he presented a counterfeit Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) badge and credentials.
• In January 2014, a man attempted to gain access to the secure area of Reagan National Airport using a counterfeit CIA badge, but was prevented from doing so after Transportation Security Administration officers noticed inconsistencies with the man’s statements and credentials.

Bruce Foucart, director of U.S. Homeland Security’s National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center stated the killers in the vicious Paris Charlie Hebdo massacre that left 12 people including two police officers dead, funded their weapons cache through the sale of counterfeit goods.

Amazon is no stranger to allegations of selling counterfeit goods. The Counterfeit Report sent Infringement notices to Amazon for 12,699 infringing items offered on its website in 2016. Apple recently claimed that 90% of Apple Chargers it purchased directly from Amazon were fake. Birkenstock, a popular sandal maker, pulled the plug on Amazon sales citing an uncontrollable counterfeit problem. Other manufacturers claim their business is being destroyed by counterfeits sold on Amazon.

Further tarnishing Amazon's credibility are Amazon’s claims that infringing listings are removed -- when in fact many are not. Amazon allows un-vetted sellers to list against “permanent catalog page” images (stock photos) making identification of counterfeit products difficult without test purchases, and sellers are allowed to relist in-arguably fake items.

It is disturbing that Amazon has now become the means of those looking for fake law enforcement badges and identification to have a “one stop” shopping market for fake items. Public trust is destroyed when companies don't align themselves with ethical behavior and diligence in protecting consumers, the public and national security.