Google classifies Counterfeit Goods violations as egregious and suspends accounts on detection without warning. Most appeals fail. The cases that succeed share one thing: documented proof the products are genuine or properly authorized. We build that evidence.
Send us the suspension notice. Within 48 hours you get an honest verdict: false positive, authorized reseller case, ambiguous gray-zone product, or genuine policy violation. We only take cases that have a real path to reinstatement.
Free verdict within 48 hours. We decline cases that cannot win on appeal and tell you why on day one.
Two Google Ads policies sit close together and get confused often. They have different evidence requirements and different appeal pathways.
| Policy | What it covers | Common trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Counterfeit Goods | Selling or promoting fake products that mimic a brand's identity | The product itself is not genuine, or the listing uses words like "replica," "knock off," "clone" |
| Trademark | Using another brand's name, logo, or terms in ad copy or keywords without authorization | The product is genuine but the ad text or keywords use a competitor's or third party's trademark |
Both can apply at the same time. An authorized reseller of a genuine brand often hits Trademark issues without hitting Counterfeit. A seller of fake goods usually hits both.
The policy name appears in your suspension email and in Policy Manager. Read it carefully.
The Counterfeit Goods policy prohibits selling or promoting products that copy another brand's trademark, logo, or identifying features to pass as genuine. The policy applies to ads, websites, and apps. Words like "replica," "knock off," "imitation," "clone," and "fake" near a brand name trigger immediate suspension. Google classifies violations as egregious.
Source: Google Ads Counterfeit Goods policy (support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/176017)
Google's policy applies to two categories: products that mimic a brand's identifying features without authorization, and listings that describe goods using language Google associates with counterfeits. Both categories appear in Google's published examples.
The policy specifically names these terms: knock off, replica, imitation, clone, faux, fake, mirror image. Using any of them next to a brand name in ad copy, on the website, or in product descriptions triggers the flag.
Products that carry a brand's logo, trademark, or labeling but did not come from the brand or its authorized supply chain. Even a single product image showing a fake brand label can trigger an account-wide suspension.
Products designed to look like a recognizable brand without using the actual name. A handbag styled to look exactly like a specific designer piece, sold without the original brand's authorization, can trigger the policy even with no brand name visible.
Google publishes a Counterfeit Complaint Form for brand owners to report sellers. A verified complaint from a trademark holder is one of the strongest triggers and one of the hardest to reverse.
Google's system links accounts through payment methods, business identity, and device signals. A counterfeit suspension on one account often hits other accounts owned by the same operator inside hours.
All triggers paraphrased from Google's policy text. The brand complaint form and cross-account detection details are based on observable enforcement patterns.
Most Counterfeit Goods appeals fail because the underlying business is in fact selling counterfeits. The cases that succeed fall into one of the five profiles below. If your situation matches one of them, the appeal has a real path forward.
You sell genuine branded goods purchased from the brand or an authorized distributor. Your website and ads did not make the authorization relationship clear, and Google's automated system flagged the listings as counterfeit. The fix involves documenting the authorization, updating the website to display the relationship clearly, and submitting the appeal with the evidence package.
You sell aftermarket auto parts, phone accessories, printer cartridges, or similar products that fit branded items but are clearly generic. Google's system flagged the listings because the product descriptions referenced the branded item the parts work with. The fix involves rewriting the product descriptions to make the aftermarket or generic nature clear and removing language that implies brand origin.
You sell pre-owned, vintage, or secondhand items that are genuine. Authentication documentation is available. Google's system flagged the listings because secondhand branded goods statistically correlate with counterfeit listings. The fix involves authenticity certification, transparent provenance information, and clear secondhand framing in the listings.
You sell products inspired by a design style or aesthetic without claiming any brand origin and without using brand names in the marketing. Google's system flagged the listings because of visual similarity. The fix involves clarifying the original design nature of the products and removing any phrasing that could imply brand association.
Your products have no brand association at all. Google's automated system flagged the account in error. These cases are rare but they happen, usually after a system update or a misclassified competitor report. The fix involves documenting the generic nature of the products and requesting human review.
Three patterns appear in almost every rejected DIY appeal we review:
Google's reviewer cannot verify the claim without paperwork. "I only sell authentic products" carries no weight. An invoice trail from an authorized supplier, an authorization letter from the brand, or a distribution agreement is what gets the appeal past the first review.
Most appeals focus on the products being genuine while ignoring the words on the site or in the ad copy that caused the flag. If the listings contained "replica," "inspired by [brand]," or similar phrases, the appeal must explain that those phrases have been removed and confirm the new copy.
Google rescans the destination during appeal review. A site that still uses banned language, still shows the flagged products, or still hosts the brand imagery that triggered the flag will fail the rescan inside minutes. Cleanup must precede appeal.
We review the suspension notice, the Google Ads account, the flagged ads, and the website. We assess which of the five case profiles applies, or whether the case falls outside what we will take. You receive a written verdict: viable, viable with conditions, or not winnable on appeal.
For viable cases, we audit the documentation you have on hand: brand authorization letters, distribution agreements, supplier invoices, certificates of authenticity, business registration, import documentation. We identify the gaps and the items you need to obtain before the appeal goes out.
We review every page on the site and every active ad creative for triggering language. We remove "replica," "knock off," and similar terms when they appear near brand names. We rewrite product descriptions to make authorized reseller status, aftermarket nature, secondhand provenance, or original design clear. We update images, alt text, and metadata.
We assemble the appeal evidence package: authorization letters, invoice copies, distribution agreements, authenticity documentation, website screenshots showing the corrected copy, and a written statement explaining the original business model and why the flag was an error or an oversight.
We write the appeal in the format Google's reviewers respond to: specific policy citation, specific evidence references, specific business explanation, attached documentation. You approve every word and every document before submission.
If Google requests additional verification or documentation, we handle the response. Counterfeit appeals often involve multiple rounds because the documentation bar is higher than other policies.
Once reinstated, we deliver a written compliance checklist: how to maintain authorization records, how to phrase product descriptions, how to handle new supplier relationships, how to respond to future brand complaints. A second Counterfeit suspension on the same account is significantly harder to reverse.
Counterfeit Goods cases require more documentation work than technical suspensions. The verdict is always free. The work scales with case complexity and existing documentation.
Authorized reseller, aftermarket, or false-positive cases · Single domain, single product category
Multi-category catalogs, multi-brand resellers, secondhand or vintage operators
Counterfeit Goods is the most ethically loaded of the Google Ads policies. We turn down more cases here than on any other service. We tell you within the free verdict if your case falls in one of the categories below.
Filing an appeal that misrepresents counterfeit goods as genuine damages our credibility with Google's review teams, which hurts the legitimate clients we work with. Counterfeit sales also expose the operator to civil and criminal liability beyond Google's enforcement.
If your business model depends on selling counterfeit goods and you want to advertise on Google, the only path forward is to switch to authorized resale, manufacturer-partnership, or a fully original product line. We do not provide that transition as a service, but we can recommend the framework when relevant.
The closest neighbor. Most Counterfeit suspensions on authorized reseller accounts also involve Trademark issues. The Trademark appeal addresses different evidence than Counterfeit.
Learn MoreSometimes Counterfeit suspensions get bundled with Misrepresentation when the website implies brand authorization that does not exist.
Learn MoreCounterfeit suspensions often trigger Circumventing Systems flags across related accounts. The combined appeal needs to address both policies.
Learn MoreFree verdict within 48 hours. We tell you which of the five case profiles applies, what documentation you need, and whether the appeal has a realistic path. No retainer on cases we cannot win.