# Your first counterfeit takedown: a step by step playbook | CopycatHQ

Source: https://copycathq.com/blog/first-takedown-playbook/

CopycatHQ blog · 2026-09-14


## Step one: confirm it is really a counterfeit

Not every lookalike is actionable. The clean cases are stolen photography, brand name misuse, cloned packaging, and replicas passed off as genuine. Document the listing URL, seller name, screenshots, and the specific asset being copied before anything else.

## Step two: match the claim to the platform

Each marketplace has its own channel and evidence rules: Amazon Brand Registry and Report Infringement, Walmart's brand portal, TikTok Shop's IP protection center. A complaint formatted for the wrong process stalls for weeks. Copyright claims over stolen photos are usually the fastest path on all three.

## Step three: file and track to resolution

Filing is the start, not the finish. Platforms ask for more evidence, reject on formatting, or act partially. Someone has to track every open case daily and respond fast, or the complaint quietly dies in a queue.

## Step four: plan for the re-listing

Expect the seller to come back. Put every removed seller and product on a watch list, scan daily, and re-file with the prior case history attached. Repeat-offender filings are what eventually cost counterfeiters their accounts.

## More from the blog

[Counterfeits on Walmart Marketplace: what brands miss](../walmart-marketplace-counterfeits/index.md)

## Frequently asked questions

### What should a first takedown filing contain?

Proof of your rights, such as trademark details, links to the infringing listings, and a clear explanation of what is copied. Platforms act fastest on complete filings that a reviewer can verify without asking follow up questions, so attach evidence rather than describing it.

### How long does a first takedown usually take?

It varies by platform and by filing quality, from days to a few weeks. Complete brand program filings are typically faster than general reports. Track submission dates and case numbers so a slow case can be chased with its history attached.

### What should you do while a takedown is pending?

Keep selling, keep records, and keep monitoring for related listings from the same seller. Note sales impact and any customer confusion messages. If the seller expands while your case is pending, add the new listings to the case as a pattern rather than filing disconnected reports.

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