Counterfeit Goods Are Costing the U.S. $225 Billion a Year

With all the recent raids and lawsuits surrounding counterfeit goods, it is no secret that bootleggers have become a serious problem.

But, a recent analysis by NetNames, a global firm specializing in online brand protection and anticounterfeiting services, has revealed just how much it is actually costing the economy—and the amount is insane. According to the firm, the U.S. loses $225 billion dollars a year from counterfeiters.

In an interview with WWD, Stuart Fuller of NetNames calls the problem a "global pandemic." He says that the boom in online shopping has created more opportunities for the illegal goods, which as a market brings in $1.8 trillion globally. In 2014, online counterfeit sales increased over 15 percent, and it is only expected to keep growing.