Amazon and FELCO file a joint lawsuit against bad actors selling counterfeit pruning shears, in a continued effort to crack down on fake goods

You would be hard-pressed to find a brand loved by horticulturalists and professional gardeners more than FELCO, a 77-year-old family-owned Swiss company known for its professional gardening tools. FELCO’s pruning shears are a fan favorite trusted by avid gardeners and professionals for high quality, ergonomics, interchangeability of parts, and long-lasting durability.

Images of a FELCO tool with red handles.

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Whether a horticulturist, viticulturist, or landscaper, the customer passion for the popular shears is felt by many and can be seen in fan artwork and even tattoos around the world. So, when counterfeiters infringed on FELCO’s trademark rights by attempting to sell counterfeit pruning shears, the company called on Amazon to help them hold the bad actors accountable. Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and FELCO filed a joint lawsuit against 39 bad actors who have infringed on the trademark rights of FELCO and attempted to sell counterfeit pruning shears.

“Although a counterfeit may look like a good copy of the original, it is more likely to be defective,” said Nabil Francis, CEO of FELCO. “You can’t fake quality and it is therefore important to ensure that our customers around the world enjoy the true performance of FELCO genuine tools.”

Amazon protects the brands you love most by partnering with brands of all sizes to conduct investigations, refer cases to law enforcement, and pursue litigation to seize counterfeit products and get justice for rights owners. Amazon worked with FELCO to identify defendants who were falsely advertising and attempting to sell counterfeit FELCO-branded products and deceive customers.

“We take responsibility for protecting customers, brands and our store from counterfeit products ,” said Kebharu Smith, director of Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit. “We appreciate the partnership with FELCO to find and take action against these fraudsters.”

The lawsuit was filed in the Federal District Court in the Western District of Washington under case number 22-cv-1506.

Last year, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit sued or referred over 600 bad actors for investigation in the U.S., UK, EU, and China. In the fight to ensure consumers only purchase authentic and safe products, the Counterfeit Crimes Unit has established its reputation as a global partner to brands and law enforcement through its aggressive enforcement against counterfeiters and the removal of illegal products from the supply chain. Read about the Counterfeit Crimes Unit’s previous actions.