While the increase in digital shopping is good for most merchants and brands, there is a downside: counterfeit. And, according to one new report, the amount of people fooled into buying counterfeit goods continues to grow.

According to Incopro’s latest data 1 in 4 shoppers say they’ve been fooled into buying a product that turned out to be fake, and that is just in the past year. Of those fooled into the buy about one-quarter say they never received a refund for the product purchased.

“With the shopping peak upon us, the risks of counterfeit activity are amplified as online shoppers seek out deals this holiday season,” said Piers Barclay, Chief Strategy Officer of Incopro. “Our research shows that some consumers are regularly being tricked into buying counterfeit goods while others are making the conscious decision to purchase fake products, which can be unsafe and/or contribute to funding criminal networks. Consumer education and leadership on this matter is needed from public influencers, including online marketplaces, policy makers, brands, and search engines, to avoid a deeper plunge into the abyss of the black market.”

Nearly one-third (32%) of shoppers say that they want digital marketplaces to do more to protect them from these fraudulent purchases. Roughly the same amount believe the government to step in to put a stop to online sellers with fake merchandise.

“While the online environment is becoming increasingly complex, the research suggests that changing consumer preferences are pressuring brands and platforms — whether ecommerce or social — to meet evolving expectations by taking greater action to flag genuine goods, limit the propagation of fake items, and take responsibility swiftly and with integrity when issues arise,” said book author, international speaker, and podcast host, Nathalie Nahai of The Web Psychologist LTD. “How brands and platforms rise to meet these challenges remains to be seen.”

Fully half of those surveyed (52%) say they’ve lost trust with a retailer because they were sold a fake product.

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Read the article in Retail Dive here