Meesho says it removed 42 lakh counterfeit products from its platform

Meesho said that it has introduced additional proactive mechanisms and powerful technology tools to identify, block and remove counterfeits. One of the key pillars of the SoftBank-backed firm’s strategy is 'Project Suraksha,' an umbrella initiative that encompasses multiple strategies to combat counterfeit and restricted products.

Under this project, Meesho has implemented stringent verification processes, engaged in brand partnerships, and leveraged analytical models for fraud detection. 

As part of this project, Meesho created a ‘Suraksha List’ comprising of about 1,800 brands which have been identified as high-risk for infringement and counterfeiting. The firm said the project has yielded impressive results, with nearly 42 lakh counterfeit and infringing product listings and 10 lakh restricted products deactivated in the past six months. 

“ We leverage advanced techniques in computer vision and natural language understanding to continuously fortify our quality checks and effectively identify counterfeit products & bad actor sellers,” said Sanjeev Barnwal, founder and chief technology officer at Meesho. “We also have a dedicated quality and compliance team that proactively cross-verifies automated signals and in turn enables us to combat fraudulent practices which builds trust with our users."

Since February, there has been a 80 per cent reduction in platform views for non-compliant listings, they now represent a mere 0.1 per cent of platform views. The company said the platform’s robust verification processes ensure only legitimate sellers are selling on Meesho. In 2023, Meesho’s systems detected and blocked over 12,000 bad actor accounts from accessing the platform.

" By continuously investing in technology, enhancing quality checks, and forming strategic brand partnerships, we have significantly improved our ability to detect counterfeit products and protect our users from potential harm,” said Utkrishta Kumar, CXO, Business at Meesho.

By leveraging advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and data science models, the platform can promptly detect and flag suspicious listings and bad actor seller accounts. In addition, Meesho has forged strong partnerships with brands, ensuring the protection of intellectual property rights and providing customers with a trustworthy shopping experience they can rely on.

“In today's competitive market, preserving the sanctity of our brand is paramount,” said Deep Bajaj, co-founder at Sirona Hygiene. “The team (Meesho) has been extremely proactive in addressing this challenge.”

Meesho also unveiled its ‘Trust Assurance Report’ today. This report showcases Meesho's efforts for creating a secure and trustworthy marketplace for its customers.