ST LOUIS, MO-(Effingham Radio)- The Consumer Fraud Task Force is advising consumers to be careful when shopping online so that they do not purchase counterfeit goods.
According to a study done by the International Trademark Association, the estimated value of international and domestic trade in counterfeit and pirated goods was $1.13 trillion in 2013.
The group believes that by 2022 the total estimated value of counterfeit and pirated goods is projected to reach between $1.9 and $2.81 trillion.
According to the ITA, more than $460 billion in counterfeit goods were sold in 2016 in the United States.
Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker Annual Risk Report for 2017 showed online purchase scams as the top-ranked scam reported by U.S. and Canadian consumers.
Clothing, cosmetics and electronics were among the most-reported items purchased in the Scam Tracker reports.
Consumers reported a median loss of $100 to online purchase scams.
Other recent, high-profile counterfeit scams involved dietary supplements and sports merchandise.