Amazon blocked 10 billion listings in counterfeit crackdown

NEW YORK (AP) — For years Amazon has been under pressure from shoppers, brands and lawmakers to crack down on counterfeits on its site. Now it’s saying it blocked 10 billion suspected phony listings last year before any of their offerings could be sold. That’s up about 67% from the year before. The number comes from Amazon’s first report on its efforts to cut down on fake goods since it announced new tools and technologies in 2019. The Seattle-based e-commerce behemoth said the number of counterfeiters trying to sell on the site rose last year as scammers tried to take advantage of shoppers who were staying home and buying more online. Amazon said it destroyed 2 million counterfeit products sent to its warehouses last year before they could be sold.