Unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals want to profit from the creative talents of writers, journalists and researchers and illegally copy and publish their creative material.
Amazon sells more than half of the books in the United States, including new and used physical products as well as digital and audio formats. Amazon is a publisher, a printer, a review and rating hub, a textbook supplier and a distributor. Amazon also enables and facilitates third-party sales of counterfeit and pirated material.
Counterfeit and pirated books are all too common on Amazon, often with Amazon being the direct seller. It can be challenging or almost impossible for a consumer to identify a counterfeit or pirated book.
Counterfeit and pirated versions are available in published hardcover, paperback, and downloadable .pdf formats without the author's permission.
There is no guarantee of authentic or complete content in the illegally copied materials. You may find the content is gibberish.
Legitimate sellers and bad actors can pool their goods with the same exact goods offered by Amazon itself, a practice known as commingling. This has advantages for sellers — less processing is needed and faster shipping from the nearest fulfillment center so it's cheaper — but consumers may get a fake while believing they are buying from a trusted seller.
Could you spot a pirated book? Both these Spirits & Cocktails books were purchased from Amazon as the direct seller for over $50/each.
The 300-page hardcover is authentic. The 99-page paperback is pirated gibberish.
Both these "Moms on Call" books were purchased on Amazon. Could you spot the fake? The pirated book's dimensions are 1/4" smaller, and slightly thinner than the authentic book.
The pirated book was 50% more expensive on Amazon than the a
Amazon just can't keep pirated books off its websites. The authentic Laptop From Hell (Miranda Devine) is joined by three fakes, all sold directly by Amazon.
When you buy on Amazon you have a good chance of receiving a fake or fraudulent product.
Attention to detail may give you an indication of a fake. Miranda Devine is the author of the authentic book. The fake with author Miranda "Devane" appeared in Amazon and eBay listings.
Counterfeit and pirated books are not limited to bestsellers. The pirated Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy 2018 was sold on Amazon.
When you buy on Amazon you have a good chance of getting counterfeit, pirated, fraudulent, replica and stolen goods.
Look to reviews and Twitter for hints about counterfeit and pirated Amazon books.
Here a Twitter user identifies a counterfeit sold directly by Amazon
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