Last month Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple Sues Mobile Star for Selling Counterfeit Power Adapters and Charging Cables through Amazon." Apple brought their action to protect its customers from dangerous counterfeit power products such as power adapters and charging cables that Amazon.com sourced from Defendant Mobile Star and sold through its internet-based e-commerce platform located at www.amazon.com. What was surprising in our comment section was the anger aimed at Amazon. One commenter noted "About time. Why on earth is Apple not also suing Amazon?" Another commenter stated that "Receiving counterfeit products from Amazon is why I stopped shopping with them TEN YEARS AGO." This sentiment was heard around the web over this lawsuit and I think that the overwhelming response to this issue even surprised Amazon. Today we're learning that Amazon has now declared war on sellers of counterfeit goods.

According to a new Wall Street Journal report "Amazon.com Inc. filed lawsuits targeting sellers allegedly listing counterfeit goods on its website, publicly cracking down on an issue that has caused increasing friction.

The two lawsuits, Amazon's first legal challenge against its third-party sellers for bogus products, pertain to fake versions of the Forearm Forklift, a strap system that allows users to lift heavy items, and TRX Suspension Trainer workout bands and products. The second lawsuit was filed jointly with Fitness Anywhere LLC, the company behind the authentic workout bands.

In the suits, Amazon said it spends tens of millions of dollars on technology to identify counterfeits and that it employs a team that continually works to refine its anticounterfeiting program.

"When customers purchase counterfeit goods, it undermines the trust that customers, sellers and manufacturers place in Amazon, thereby tarnishing Amazon's brand and causing irreparable reputational harm," the suits state. Both suits were filed Monday in Washington state court.

Amazon has publicly stepped up efforts to combat counterfeiters in recent months. In August, the online retailer said it would start charging up to $1,500 in one-time fees and require invoices from manufacturers or distributors to prove that the sales by third-party sellers of certain brands were authorized.

While neither of Amazon's initial lawsuits involve Mobile Star, it's the issue that has come to a head. Whether it's politics or Amazon waiting to sue Mobile Star after Apple does is unknown at this time – or even if Apple sues Amazon for that matter. However, there should be no doubt that the feedback eminating from Apple's lawsuit against Mobile Star pushed Amazon to take further legal measures to earn back some trust that they've obviously lost with their customers in general and the Apple community specifically.

In the end, it was great that Apple fans stood up and reacted as they did against Amazon first and Mobile Star second. John Gruber of Daring Fireball stated in conclusion of his report on the matter that "I can certainly see why Apple is suing Mobile Star (hopefully right out of business), but why not sue Amazon too? This is shameful." I believe that Amazon's latest lawsuits are in-part because of this sustained anger that was aimed at them by the influential Apple community. So to those angry Apple fans who rightfully spoke up loud and clear: Well done.

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