WWE And Amazon Teaming Up To Battle Counterfeiters

WWE and Amazon have joined forces, but not for the reason you may be thinking.

WWE.com announced today that the company has teamed up with Amazon to battle counterfeiters on the Amazon store. According to the announcement, several independent sellers have been attempting to profit off creating replica WWE championship belts while using a false identity. The inauthentic listings have since been removed by Amazon, and the counterfeiters, who are based out of New Jersey, were charged with felony counterfeiting. 

"Amazon is the benchmark for collaboration with respect to brand infringement online," said WWE's Vice President of Intellectual Property, Matthew Winterroth. "Official and licensed WWE products, branded by our IP, are trusted by our fans around the world, and we go to great lengths to protect consumers from counterfeits and other types of infringements. It's our hope that other companies look at Amazon's Counterfeit Crimes Unit as a model of how to partner with companies of any size to help combat this relentless threat."

"Amazon is committed to the authenticity of products in our store and protecting our customers from all forms of counterfeits, including those impacting fans of iconic entertainment brand WWE," said Kebharu Smith, director of Amazon's Counterfeit Crimes Unit. "We will continue to work with WWE and Middlesex County law enforcement to bring these bad actors to justice."

WWE's team utilized Amazon's Project Zero, which is an Amazon technology that allows brands to help detect counterfeit items listed in their stores. Amazon boasts that their Counterfeit Crimes Unit consistents of former federal prosecutors and law enforcement agents.

Amazon, along with Disney and Comcast, has been one of the several major properties that have been discussed as potential buyers for WWE. It's possible that this alliance could indicate more developments to come for the two companies.