Online shopping has given people the convenience of buying products with ease. Long gone are the days when distance and unavailability stood as hurdles between buyers and their shopping experience. But as Indians shape their habits and rely heavily on e-commerce platforms like Amazon for shopping, fraud and counterfeiting cases are also emerging in staggering numbers. Amazon says it has removed millions of counterfeit products worldwide in 2025 and expanded its Counterfeit Crimes Unit to better protect the interests of buyers and sellers. While they are doing their best to protect your interests, we have come up with ideas that help you differentiate between a real and a fake product so you can safely enjoy your shopping without any worry.
Reviews — not the sole determinant of a purchase
Before purchasing anything, our first action is to look for reviews, especially the positive ones with five-star ratings and good feedback. They act as reassurance, and the authenticity of the product encourages people to make the purchase. Though this often helps in making the right decision, it cannot be the sole measure of your purchase judgement. In many cases, reviews turn out to be fake. Sellers buy fake reviews to improve their product ranking in their category, which results in increased sales.
The 6 warning signs – tips for spotting fake products on Amazon
You can prevent yourself from falling into these traps by recognising the 8 signs below:
“Just launched” seller, no history
While shopping, if you come across a product from a seller who is new to the listing and has no reviews or previous history, it is better to avoid purchasing from them, as they have nothing to lose; the products may be fake and not what they seem on the platform.
Mismatched product category history
It does not happen often that one seller deals in totally different categories; for instance, a seller account that has only sold phone cases suddenly listing premium perfumes signals a high chance of fake products. Look at their profile to see whether they are consistent in their product category or not.
The price is significantly below the market rate
Though the discount seems very alluring on the e-commerce platform, something too good to be true could turn out to be a trap for the buyer. Compare products with a discount of 40 to 50 per cent with the prices on their official websites.
Reviews are uniformly 5-star with vague praise
A legit review section usually includes all kinds of ratings from 5-star to 1-star, with the 5-star ratings appearing in high volume and varying 3-star and 2-star ratings in smaller numbers. However, a product with only generic 5-star reviews seems suspicious. Use a free tool like FakeFind or Null Fake to analyse the review pattern.
The review photos do not match the listing photos
One of the best and easiest ways to find out the credibility of a product is to compare the product image with the videos and images in the reviews. If they match, the product is more likely authentic; otherwise, it may be fake.
Not “Fulfilled by Amazon”
Third-party sellers shipping directly — especially from overseas — are more likely to be the source of counterfeit goods, since Amazon’s own warehouses have stricter authenticity checks. Check the fulfilment method near the “Buy Now” button. Prefer “Fulfilled by Amazon” for branded electronics and cosmetics.
Online shopping is still safe — just be deliberate
The overwhelming majority of Amazon India purchases are genuine, especially from “Fulfilled by Amazon” listings and official brand stores. These checks take less than two minutes and can dramatically reduce your risk on higher-value purchases such as electronics, cosmetics, and branded apparel.
