Amazon Project Zero – Fight Counterfeit Products

Amazon Project Zero is rewriting the rules of brand protection on the world’s largest online marketplace. 

Data shows that fake goods make up 3.3% of global trade, infiltrating various industries. In the U.S. alone, counterfeit products drain a staggering $600 billion from the economy each year, making a significant dent in the revenues of legitimate businesses.

To fight back, Amazon has handed brands Project Zero, a powerful new weapon that combines cutting-edge automation with direct control over counterfeit removal. 

 

What is Amazon Project Zero?

Amazon Project Zero is a proactive anti-counterfeiting initiative designed to help brands remove counterfeit products and maintain control over their listings. 

Unlike traditional brand protection measures that rely on reporting fake goods after they appear, this program leverages automated protections and self-service tools to prevent counterfeits from ever reaching customers.

By combining AI-driven detection with direct brand involvement, Amazon gives businesses the power to take down fraudulent listings instantly. 

However, access to this tool isn’t open to all sellers—only brands enrolled in the Brand Registry on Amazon can participate. This ensures that only legitimate rights holders can take action, reducing the risk of seller scams and unauthorized product takedowns.

 

Key Features of Amazon Project Zero

Project Zero by Amazon has three core features that work together to identify and remove counterfeit products before they reach customers:

 

Automated Protections

Amazon uses AI-driven detection and machine learning algorithms to scan billions of product listings daily, identifying suspicious activity and automatically removing counterfeit products. 

This system continuously adapts, learning from past counterfeit reports to improve accuracy over time.

 

Self-Service Counterfeit Removal

Unlike traditional brand protection measures that require Amazon’s intervention, Project Zero allows brands to remove counterfeit listings themselves. 

Once enrolled, brands gain access to a dashboard where they can take down fraudulent product pages instantly without needing to file a complaint and wait for a response.

 

Product Serialization

With this feature, brands can add unique serialization codes to each unit of their products before they are shipped. 

Amazon then scans these codes before fulfilling orders, ensuring that only genuine products reach customers. This prevents third-party counterfeiters from attaching their fake items to authentic listings, reducing the risk of fraud.

Benefits of Amazon Project Zero

 

Stronger Brand Protection and Intellectual Property Security

Counterfeit products don’t just harm sales—they damage brand reputation and can lead to legal disputes. Amazon Project Zero empowers you to safeguard your intellectual property by preventing unauthorized sellers from listing fake versions of your products. 

By taking control of counterfeit removal, businesses reduce intellectual property violations and keep their products exclusive to authorized sellers.

 

Enhanced Customer Trust and Shopping Experience

When customers unknowingly purchase counterfeit products, it erodes their confidence in a brand. By ensuring that only authentic products are available, Amazon Project Zero helps businesses maintain customer trust and loyalty. 

Shoppers can buy with confidence, knowing that Amazon’s systems actively remove counterfeits before they even appear.

 

Additional Protection with Amazon Brand Registry and Brand Gating

Brands enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry get access to additional protective features such as brand gating, which restricts third-party sellers from listing certain products unless they have explicit approval. 

This not only allows sellers to review hijacking but prevents counterfeiters from hijacking listings and selling unauthorized products under a legitimate brand’s name in the first place.

 

Preventing Counterfeits Before They Reach Customers

With product serialization, Amazon verifies each unit before shipping, ensuring that only genuine items are delivered. This proactive approach eliminates the need for customers to report counterfeit products after purchase. 

Additionally, brands can use a Review Checker to monitor customer feedback for signs of counterfeiting, helping them detect and address potential issues before they escalate.

 

Financial Protection and Reduced Risks for Sellers

Counterfeit-related losses can be costly, and in some cases, businesses may face legal issues due to customer complaints. 

While seller insurance can provide financial protection, Amazon Project Zero minimizes the risk by preventing counterfeits from entering the marketplace, reducing the need for refunds, legal actions or damage control.

 

Amazon Project Zero vs Transparency by Amazon

While both Amazon Project Zero and Amazon Transparency aim to combat counterfeit products, they operate in fundamentally different ways.

Feature	Amazon Project Zero	Amazon Transparency
Detection Method	AI-powered automated protections.	Manual product verification via serialization.
Counterfeit Removal	Brands can remove fraudulent listings themselves.	Amazon verifies products before shipping.
Brand Enrollment	Requires Amazon Brand Registry and a history of accurate counterfeit reporting.	Available to any brand that applies serialization to products.
Cost	Free to join, but product serialization is optional and paid.	Requires a per-unit fee for serialized product codes.

 

How to Enroll in Amazon Project Zero

Amazon Project Zero is an invite-only program, meaning not all brands can enroll automatically. To qualify, businesses must meet specific eligibility criteria and demonstrate a strong track record in brand protection.

Meet the Eligibility Requirements

 

Before applying, ensure your brand meets Amazon’s requirements:

• You should already be enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry.
• Your brand must have an active registered trademark.
• You should have a history of accurately reporting counterfeit products through Amazon’s traditional enforcement tools.

 

Receive an Invitation or Express Interest

Since Amazon Project Zero is not open to all sellers, Amazon extends invitations to brands that meet the eligibility criteria. However, if your brand has not received an invite, you can express interest through the official Amazon Project Zero enrollment page.

 

Complete the Training Module

Amazon requires enrolled brands to complete the Project Zero training to ensure proper use of the self-service counterfeit removal tool. Misuse—such as removing legitimate competitor listings—could result in removal from the program.

 

Implement Product Serialization (Optional)

While product serialization is an optional feature, brands looking for additional fraud prevention can opt to apply unique serial codes to their products. This step helps Amazon verify authenticity before shipping.

 

Start Using Amazon Project Zero Tools

Once approved, brands gain access to:

• Automated protections, which scan and remove counterfeit listings.
• Self-service counterfeit removal allows brands to take down fraudulent listings instantly.
• Product serialization, ensuring only authentic products are shipped to customers.

 

Potential Challenges and Solutions

Here are a few challenges you might face when using Amazon Project Zero as well as possible solutions to protect your business.

 

Risk of Misuse and Incorrect Takedowns

One of the biggest concerns with Amazon Project Zero is the self-service counterfeit removal tool. 

While it allows brands to instantly remove fraudulent listings, there’s a risk of accidentally taking down legitimate sellers who are legally reselling authentic products. Misuse of this tool can result in penalties or removal from the program.

• Sample Scenario. A brand mistakenly removes a third-party seller’s listing, assuming it’s counterfeit. However, the seller had legally sourced the product from a distributor.
• Solution. Carefully review listings before removing them and ensure that the seller is actually selling counterfeit goods. Amazon provides training modules to help brands use the tool responsibly.

 

Limited Access to Project Zero

Amazon Project Zero is invite-only, meaning not all brands can enroll immediately. This creates a barrier for smaller brands or those new to the Amazon Brand Registry who may be struggling with counterfeit issues but lack access to the program’s tools.

• Sample Scenario. A new brand starts noticing fake versions of its products being sold on Amazon, damaging its reputation and sales. The business wants to use Amazon Project Zero, but it has not yet received an invitation.
• Solution. Since Amazon Project Zero requires a strong track record of counterfeit reporting, brands should first enroll in Brand Registry and consistently report fraudulent sellers through Amazon’s traditional enforcement tools.

Counterfeiters Adapting to Avoid Detection

Despite Amazon’s automated protections, counterfeiters are always finding new ways to evade detection. 

They may list fake products under slightly different names, create new seller accounts, or use misleading images and descriptions to bypass Amazon’s anti-counterfeiting measures.

• Sample Scenario. A luxury brand uses Amazon Project Zero to eliminate counterfeits, but counterfeiters start selling fake products under a modified listing with minor changes in product titles and images.
• Solution. Work with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit, which collaborates with law enforcement to prosecute counterfeiters and shut down their operations permanently. Monitoring customer reviews and feedback can also help you identify patterns and report new counterfeit strategies.

 

The Bottom Line

Amazon Project Zero offers brands a powerful, proactive approach to combating counterfeit products, combining AI-driven automated protections, self-service counterfeit removal, and product serialization.

However, Project Zero is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Brands must still navigate challenges like eligibility restrictions, potential misuse of takedown tools, and evolving counterfeit tactics. 

To maximize protection, businesses should leverage Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit, Amazon Brand Registry, and expert consultants like AMZ Advisers to develop a comprehensive anti-counterfeiting strategy.

Author

Carla Bauto Deña is a journalist and content writer producing stories for traditional and digital media. She believes in empowering small businesses with the help of innovative solutions, such as ecommerce and digital marketing.