To remove counterfeits sold online in Vietnam, start with the platform's IP complaint procedure, which is usually the fastest route; then, for persistent or large sellers, combine takedowns with offline action by market surveillance or the police against the stock behind the listings. Vietnamese law places obligations on e-commerce platforms to deal with infringing content when notified, and the 2023 consumer protection law added duties for digital platforms.
Online selling in Vietnam moves fast: marketplace shops, social media pages, private chat groups and livestream sales can each shift thousands of items before a brand owner notices. This guide explains how foreign brand owners usually respond, what evidence makes a complaint succeed, and when a takedown is not enough. E-commerce rules have been revised in recent years and further changes were under way in 2025 and 2026, so check the current position with a licensed Vietnamese lawyer.
Where online counterfeits are sold in Vietnam
Counterfeits online appear in several distinct channels, and each needs a slightly different approach. Large marketplaces host thousands of independent shops and usually offer structured complaint systems for right holders, sometimes including dedicated brand protection programmes. Social networks host seller pages, groups and posts, where enforcement depends on reporting tools that are less tailored to IP. Livestream selling, which has become very popular, adds another difficulty: the offer exists live and may leave little trace once the stream ends.
Private chat groups and messaging apps are harder still. Sellers use them to show products to known buyers and to arrange orders away from public view, often after attracting customers through a public post. Websites registered by counterfeiters, including names that copy your brand in the domain, form a further category that can involve hosting providers and the domain registry.
Mapping these channels for your brand is the first job. Search marketplaces with your brand name and common misspellings, look at social media groups related to your product category, and watch for livestream sellers who mention your brand. The picture tells you where to concentrate effort: a few large marketplace shops are a different problem from hundreds of small social media resellers.
How a platform takedown usually works
Each platform sets its own procedure, but most follow a similar notice-and-takedown pattern. Prepare a standard package once, and you can reuse it for each complaint.
- Register as a right holder. Many large platforms let brand owners or their representatives register in advance, uploading proof of rights so that later complaints are processed faster.
- Identify the listing. Record the listing or post, the seller account and the date, and save copies, since listings can be edited or deleted after a complaint.
- Explain the infringement. State which right is infringed and why: an identical counterfeit mark, unauthorised use of your product photographs, or a copied design. Attach your Vietnamese registration details.
- Submit the complaint. Use the platform's official IP reporting channel rather than ordinary user reports, which are handled differently.
- Respond to counter-notices. Sellers can dispute takedowns. Be ready to explain your position or to escalate to authorities if the seller insists the goods are genuine.
- Track repeat sellers. Keep a list of removed accounts and watch for the same seller reappearing under new names.
Platforms do not decide complex disputes. If the seller claims genuine parallel imports or its own registration, the platform may restore the listing and tell you to resolve the matter through authorities or the courts.
Evidence that makes online complaints succeed
Online enforcement depends on evidence that survives deletion and can be relied on by platforms, authorities and courts. Build these habits into your monitoring:
- Save full-page captures of listings with the URL, the seller name and the date and time visible, and keep the files unaltered.
- Make test purchases from significant sellers to prove they actually ship the goods, keeping order records, payment proof and packaging.
- Record livestream offers through lawful means while they happen, since the stream may not be available afterwards.
- For important targets, ask a bailiff office (thua phat lai) to make an official record of online content, which carries more weight than screenshots.
- Note sales counters, reviews and stock indications that show the scale of sales.
- Keep a log of every complaint, response and outcome per seller, so that patterns of repeat infringement are easy to show.
Digital evidence is easy to challenge if it looks edited or incomplete. Consistent, systematic capture done by trained staff or professional monitors is more persuasive than ad hoc screenshots taken on a phone.
When a takedown is not enough
Large or repeat sellers. Takedowns remove listings, not stock. A seller with a warehouse full of fakes will open a new account the next day. For such targets, use the evidence gathered online to request administrative action or a criminal report against the physical operation.
Sellers claiming genuine goods. When a seller insists its goods are genuine, platforms usually step back. You then need an authority or court to decide, supported by test purchases and expert comparison.
Copycat brands rather than counterfeits. Lookalike names and logos raise questions of similarity that platforms are reluctant to judge. Administrative requests, expert assessments or civil claims are often needed.
Domain names and standalone websites. Websites using your brand in the domain may require action through the domain dispute procedures, the hosting provider or the authorities, depending on where the site is registered and hosted.
Damages. If online sales were large, a civil lawsuit can seek compensation based on evidence of sales collected during monitoring. Sales counters and order histories captured over time are often the best available proof of scale, so preserve them from the start.
Organised networks. When many accounts share the same photographs, warehouses or payment details, you are probably facing one operation behind many shop fronts. Present the links together to the authorities rather than reporting each account separately.
Brand misuse beyond fake products
Stolen product photographs. Sellers often copy your official photographs to make listings look authentic, even when the goods are different. Photographs are protected by copyright, so their unauthorised use can be reported even where the trademark angle is unclear, provided you can show you own the images.
Fake official stores. Accounts that call themselves the official store or authorised distributor of your brand mislead consumers about who they are dealing with. Platforms generally treat impersonation seriously, and a clear statement of who your real authorised sellers are makes these complaints easier.
Misleading comparisons and keyword use. Some sellers use your brand name in titles or hashtags to attract searches for unrelated goods. Whether this infringes depends on how the name is used, so assess cases individually rather than reporting everything that mentions your brand.
Fake reviews and endorsements. Listings that claim false endorsements, awards or certifications may breach advertising and consumer rules as well as your rights. Mention these elements in your complaint, as they help platforms and authorities see the wider deception.
Copied packaging and get-up. Products that imitate the overall look of your packaging without copying the mark may be challenged through industrial design rights or unfair competition rules. These cases usually need legal advice rather than a simple platform report.
Platform obligations under Vietnamese law
Vietnamese e-commerce and consumer rules place responsibilities on platforms that host sellers. In general terms, platforms are expected to collect information about sellers, provide a way for right holders and consumers to report violations, remove infringing content when they receive a valid notice or a request from authorities, and cooperate with authorities in investigations. The 2023 consumer protection law, in force since mid-2024, added specific duties for digital platform intermediaries, including cooperating in handling consumer complaints.
These obligations matter in two ways for brand owners. First, they give you a lawful basis to expect action when you send a proper notice, and a platform that persistently ignores valid notices may face consequences. Second, information that platforms hold about sellers can sometimes be obtained by authorities or courts during enforcement, even if the platform will not share it with you directly because of data protection rules.
Platform obligations are not unlimited. Platforms are not usually expected to monitor every listing on their own initiative, and they will not decide disputed questions of law. Treat them as a partner in a notice-and-takedown process, not as a substitute for enforcement.
Building a sustainable online programme
Online counterfeiting is continuous, so the response must be continuous too. Many brand owners set up regular monitoring, weekly or monthly depending on risk, with a fixed process for evidence capture, takedown requests and escalation. Clear criteria decide which sellers get a simple takedown, which get a warning, and which are referred for offline action.
Work with your authorised distributors. They often see counterfeits first, because fake listings undercut their prices. Give them a simple way to report suspicious sellers, and make sure your own authorised resellers are clearly identified so that customers and platforms can tell them apart from infringers. Inconsistent pricing and unclear authorisation make enforcement harder.
Finally, look at the numbers. Track listings removed, repeat sellers, average time to takedown and offline actions taken. These figures show where the problem is moving and whether your budget is going to the right places. Review them with your distributors and your lawyer every few months, and adjust the mix of takedowns, warnings and offline actions accordingly. A programme that never changes tends to be outpaced by sellers who change constantly.
When you need a Vietnamese lawyer
Simple takedowns through platform systems can be handled by your brand team or a monitoring provider. A licensed Vietnamese lawyer becomes important when sellers dispute complaints, when you need administrative or criminal action against the stock behind the listings, when domain names are involved, or when you want to claim damages. A lawyer can also advise on collecting digital evidence lawfully, which matters because evidence gathered in breach of privacy rules can cause problems.
Before you publicly name an online seller as a counterfeiter, take advice. Social media accusations spread quickly, and if the goods turn out to be genuine parallel imports, you may face a defamation complaint. If you want a quick view on whether a particular seller is worth escalating, you can ask a lawyer on AI Co Van (aicovan.com) before committing to a formal engagement.
Ask any adviser or monitoring provider to be clear about who does what. Takedowns, evidence capture, administrative requests and court work are different tasks, and responsibility often falls between them. A simple written workflow that names who decides on escalation, who files and who reports back prevents the common situation in which everyone assumes someone else is following up a stubborn seller.
Frequently asked questions
Is reporting a listing to the platform enough to stop online counterfeits?
It is often enough for small sellers, and it is usually the fastest step. For large or repeat sellers, takedowns only remove listings, so combine them with administrative or criminal action against the physical stock behind the accounts.
Do I need a Vietnamese trademark registration to file takedowns?
Platforms operating in Vietnam generally expect proof of rights valid in Vietnam, such as a Vietnamese registration or a Madrid designation covering Vietnam. Some platforms accept other evidence for copyright, such as proof of authorship of product photographs.
How do I deal with livestream sellers?
Record the offer lawfully while it happens, note the account and time, and make a test purchase if possible. Then report through the platform's IP channel and, for significant sellers, use the evidence to request offline action.
Will the platform tell me who the seller is?
Platforms often limit what they share because of data protection rules. Authorities and courts can usually obtain seller information during enforcement, so a formal administrative request or lawsuit may be needed to identify the person behind an account.
What if the seller says the goods are genuine?
Platforms typically do not decide disputed authenticity. You may need to show test purchase results and an expert comparison to an authority or court. Avoid calling the goods fake in public until you are sure.
Are standalone counterfeit websites handled the same way?
Not exactly. Websites may require action through the domain dispute procedure, the hosting provider or the authorities, depending on where the domain is registered and the site is hosted. A lawyer can advise which route is most effective.