It’s not hard to find counterfeit Apple products and accessories to buy online, especially when it comes to accessories like AirPods, chargers, and iPhone cases. Apple of course doesn’t like this at all, and the company is taking new measures to crack down on sales of counterfeit products in Latin America along with Mercado Libre.
For those unfamiliar, Mercado Libre (also known as Mercado Livre in Brazil) is one of the most popular online marketplaces in Latin America. Sellers who offer products through the platform have been receiving an email claiming that the company will apply harsher punishments for those who sell counterfeit Apple products.
In the email seen by 9to5Mac, Mercado Libre says that these measures will be taken “if Apple confirms a report of counterfeit products,” which suggests that both companies are working together to stop sales of such items.
Among the new measures, Mercado Libre will take down all listings of Apple products from a seller if one of them is identified as counterfeit. The seller will also be prohibited from selling any other Apple products through Mercado Libre in the future. The company asks sellers to review their listings in order to avoid restrictions on their accounts once the new measures take effect.
Bloomberg last year reported that Apple has built a dedicated team to take down sales of counterfeit accessories on Instagram and Facebook. In most cases, these products are sold under Apple’s brand name but at much lower prices than the original products. However, some sellers cheat customers and sell counterfeit products as if they were originals.
Mercado Libre says that listings of counterfeit Apple products will be taken down as of February 22. It’s worth noting that Apple has an official marketplace on Mercado Libre to sell its original products in Latin America. It’s unclear whether Apple will take similar actions with its partners in other regions.
H/T: Willian Max.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
