Mercedes-Benz Seizes 1.6M Counterfeit Parts

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In 2023, Mercedes-Benz intensified its efforts to combat counterfeit automotive parts, resulting in the seizure of over 1.6 million counterfeit products during more than 740 global raids. This represents a nearly 20 percent increase in enforcement actions compared to the previous year. The company’s focus remains on identifying and eliminating safety-related counterfeit parts, which pose significant risks to road users. Mercedes-Benz continues to work closely with trade supervisory and law enforcement authorities to protect its brand, customers, and the public from the dangers of counterfeit products.

Key Highlights:

• Over 1.6 million counterfeit Mercedes-Benz parts seized in 2023 during more than 740 raids globally.
• Raids increased by nearly 20 percent compared to the previous year, reflecting intensified efforts against counterfeiting.
• Mercedes-Benz primarily targets safety-related counterfeit parts that can endanger road users, such as counterfeit brake parts, wheels, and steering components.
• More than 142,000 offers of counterfeit products deleted from social media and online platforms.
• Brand protection team conducts extensive research and investigations to support raids and track down counterfeit factories.
• Mercedes-Benz is expanding its anti-counterfeiting measures, particularly in the online retail space, where counterfeiters are increasingly operating.

Mercedes-Benz, in close collaboration with global authorities, has escalated its fight against counterfeiters, focusing primarily on safety-related counterfeits that can endanger lives. In May and June 2023, for example, the company seized counterfeit paper air filters that posed serious risks when installed. Other seized items included counterfeit brake parts, wheels, and steering components. These dangerous products are destroyed after being seized.

“The counterfeiting industry generates enormous margins and has the structures of organized crime. It endangers road safety, takes no account of the environment and stands neither for fair wages nor for occupational safety. There are no quality controls. By taking action against these highly criminal structures consistently and with all legal means, we protect not only the reputation of our brand, but also our customers, other road users and ultimately all victims of the counterfeiting industry. In close cooperation with the authorities, we were able to track down many counterfeit factories directly,” said Renata Jungo Brüngger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG for Integrity, Governance & Sustainability.

See also: Fake Brakes: A TBR Investigation into Counterfeit Brake Parts

Mercedes-Benz’s brand protection team plays a crucial role in this fight, conducting thorough investigations to identify counterfeit factories and providing the findings to law enforcement agencies. In 2023, the team helped facilitate an average of more than two raids per day worldwide.

As counterfeiters increasingly move their operations to online platforms and social media, Mercedes-Benz is expanding its strategic and operational measures to counteract this shift. The company deleted over 142,000 counterfeit product listings and trademark-infringing content from online platforms in 2023 alone. The brand’s protection strategy is built on three pillars: tracking down counterfeiters, attacking their operations, and preventing future counterfeiting.

To avoid falling victim to counterfeit products, consumers are advised to carefully examine offers, especially those with significantly lower prices or dubious sources. Often, counterfeit products can be identified by poor quality, odd designations, or the fact that the genuine manufacturer does not produce such items. However, many counterfeit products are visually indistinguishable from the real thing, making vigilance essential.