Dutch fiscal intelligence agency FIOD has warned that influencers on platforms including TikTok and Snapchat are increasingly being used to promote the illegal sale of counterfeit branded clothing, with investigators noting that knowingly advertising such goods in exchange for payment could constitute participation in a criminal organisation and money laundering. Research by NOS Stories found that sellers — some of them teenagers, including a 15-year-old reportedly earning €4,000–5,000 a month — are recruiting mostly young and minor influencers, offering them free products or cash to post promotional videos without disclosing the arrangement. The story matters because over half of more than 1,000 young people surveyed said they did not object to wearing counterfeit brands, while a specialist lawyer warned that influencers involved face tens of thousands of euros in damages and legal costs.