‘Grotesque’ That Online Counterfeiters Target ‘Scared’ Shoppers, Says PTO Chief

Counterfeiting isn’t a new problem, but “getting worse” and proliferating online, Patent and Trademark Office Director Andrei Iancu told the National Association of Manufacturers Thursday. The pandemic “has shown just how dangerous inaction can be,” he said. E-commerce’s “appeal of contact-free, front door delivery is undeniable,” he said. “Increased prevalence” of counterfeit goods sold online brings “increased dangers” during a pandemic, he said. “It is nothing short of grotesque that in the middle of this pandemic -- the worst international health crisis in a century -- criminals are taking advantage of scared and unsuspecting consumers. Frankly, the last thing our first responders should worry about is whether their” personal protective equipment is real.