Amazon Transparency, Project Zero and the Counterfeit Crimes Unit Explained

Beyond the Report a Violation tool in Brand Registry, Amazon offers three programs aimed specifically at counterfeits. Transparency puts a unique code on every unit you make, so Amazon can stop units without a valid code. Project Zero lets eligible brands remove counterfeit listings themselves, without waiting for Amazon to review each report. The Counterfeit Crimes Unit takes legal action against counterfeiters, often together with the brand.

Each program has its own entry conditions, costs and limits. This guide explains how each one works, who can join, how the three fit together and what they still leave to you.

The three programs at a glance

	Transparency	Project Zero	Counterfeit Crimes Unit
What it does	Unique code on every unit, checked by Amazon before shipping	Self-service removal of counterfeit listings, plus automated protections	Civil lawsuits and criminal referrals against counterfeiters
Who can join	Brand Registry rights owner with a registered trademark and a GTIN for each product	Invited brands meeting a reporting accuracy threshold	Brands enrolled in Brand Registry with a registered trademark
Cost	Free to enroll, paid per code	Free	No charge from Amazon; your own legal and test-buy costs
Effort for the brand	Label every unit you manufacture	Remove listings yourself and stay accurate	Share evidence and support the case
Where it acts	Amazon stores that support Transparency	Amazon stores where Project Zero is available	Courts and law enforcement, in cases involving Amazon

All three build on Amazon Brand Registry. If your brand is not enrolled yet, that is the first step.

Transparency: a code on every unit

Transparency is a product serialization program. You apply a unique alphanumeric code, printed as a small square barcode, to every unit of an enrolled product. Amazon checks the codes as units move through its fulfillment process.

The key rule is strict: once a product is enrolled, units that do not carry a valid code fail verification and cannot be listed or shipped in the Amazon stores that support Transparency. That applies to every seller of the product, including resellers of genuine stock, which is why the program needs your whole production to be coded.

Customers can also scan a Transparency code with the Amazon Shopping app or the Transparency app to confirm the unit is genuine and see information you provide.

Eligibility. Amazon asks for:

• a Brand Registry account linked to your trademark, with the rights owner role;
• an active, registered trademark;
• a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), such as a UPC or EAN, for each product;
• the ability to add codes to every unit you manufacture, wherever those units are sold.

Cost. Enrollment is free. Codes are billed per unit, in tiers by annual volume: $0.05 per code up to 1 million, $0.03 from 1 million to 10 million, and $0.01 above that, according to Amazon's program page. Printing and applying the codes is your own cost.

Coverage. At the time of writing, Amazon lists ten countries where Transparency protects products, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, India and Australia.

Project Zero: removing counterfeits yourself

Project Zero combines three things: Amazon's automated protections, which use your brand data to block suspicious listings, a self-service counterfeit removal tool, and product serialization through Transparency.

The self-service tool is the main difference. Normally, you report a listing and Amazon decides. With Project Zero, you search for suspected counterfeits and remove them directly from Amazon's stores. Amazon then uses your removals to improve its automated protections.

Eligibility. According to Amazon, you need:

• a Brand Registry account where you are the rights owner of a registered trademark;
• to have reported suspected registered trademark infringement through Report a Violation within the last six months, with an acceptance rate of at least 90%;
• a history of using Brand Registry and Report a Violation in line with Amazon's policies.

Brands that meet these conditions are invited. If you are not eligible yet, you can apply again once you meet all the requirements.

Obligations. Enrollment includes a short mandatory training. To keep access, Amazon requires an accuracy rate of at least 99%. The tool is for counterfeits only: removing genuine products, or listings you simply want gone, is exactly what that threshold is designed to catch.

Cost. Project Zero and the self-service tool are free. Transparency codes, if you use them, are billed separately.

The Counterfeit Crimes Unit: legal action

Amazon launched the Counterfeit Crimes Unit in 2020. It is a global team that Amazon describes as including former federal prosecutors, investigators and data analysts. Its job is to go beyond removing listings: the unit files civil lawsuits against counterfeiters, either alone or as co-plaintiff with the brand, and refers cases to law enforcement agencies worldwide.

Who can work with it. Amazon's FAQ says brands must be enrolled in Brand Registry with a registered trademark, and that the unit works with brands regardless of their size. Amazon does not publish an application form or explain how it chooses cases. The FAQ points enrolled brands to Report a Violation for identifying infringing items.

Cost. Amazon does not charge brands for the collaboration, but brands may carry their own costs, such as test buys, legal fees or other litigation costs.

This is general information, not legal advice. If Amazon's unit proposes joint action, involve your own counsel before you commit.

How to get access, step by step

1. Enroll in Brand Registry as the rights owner of a registered trademark.
2. Build a reporting record. Report suspected trademark infringement through Report a Violation and keep your reports accurate, since Project Zero requires at least a 90% acceptance rate over six months.
3. Accept the Project Zero invitation when it comes, complete the training and remove only listings you are confident are counterfeit.
4. Decide on Transparency. Check that each product has a GTIN and that your factory can apply a code to every unit, then enroll and order codes.
5. Keep evidence for the Counterfeit Crimes Unit. Test buys, seller details and dated captures are what a legal case is built on.

How long it takes

Amazon does not publish fixed timelines for Project Zero invitations, Transparency onboarding or Counterfeit Crimes Unit cases. For Project Zero, the six-month reporting window sets a practical minimum: you need a recent record of accepted reports before you can qualify. For Transparency, the longest step is usually on your side, adding the codes to packaging and production.

Common reasons brands are not accepted

• A pending trademark. All three programs require a registered trademark, not only an application.
• Too few, or too many rejected, reports. Project Zero looks at your recent Report a Violation history and acceptance rate.
• No GTIN or no way to code every unit. Transparency needs both, for every enrolled product.
• Misuse of reporting tools. Reports filed against genuine goods or competitors hurt the record that Project Zero relies on.

The limits of Amazon's programs

Transparency, Project Zero and the Counterfeit Crimes Unit are strong tools inside Amazon. None of them tells you where else your product is copied. A counterfeiter blocked on Amazon can keep selling on eBay, Temu, AliExpress or a regional store, and Project Zero's search only covers Amazon. To stay above the accuracy thresholds, you also need to keep your own record of what you found, why you acted and what happened next. Our counterfeit evidence checklist lists what to collect.

How Valigard helps before you report

Valigard searches marketplaces worldwide, including all Amazon stores, with your official product photos, so it finds listings that reuse them even when your brand name is missing. Each listing you mark as likely counterfeit keeps its URL, price, seller details and a saved, timestamped copy of the page. That record supports accurate reports, which is what Project Zero measures, and it shows whether a removed listing came back. See how it works on Amazon, or read our guide to removing counterfeit listings on Amazon.

Valigard does not send reports and is not connected to Project Zero: you act on Amazon, then log the status in Valigard. It does not determine with legal certainty that a product is counterfeit, and it cannot guarantee removal.