It's the kind of help you don't want to extend.
"Counterfeits help real people and you have the power to stop them by not buying those products," Ann Harkins, President of the National Crime Prevention Council, said.
The people in question are not your typical business owners doing things by the book. Common counterfeited products, including DVDs and purses, are usually connected to organized crime.
"No one would buy that purse or DVD if they thought they were supporting gang violence, drug trafficking or child labor," Harkins said. She's getting the word out to consumers about how this fuels unlawful and dangerous activitiy.
Harkins says even if you don't mind what happens to others, think of what the products could do to your well-being.
"Pharmaceuticals are counterfeited frequently, and so if you're taking a pill and it turns out to be counterfeit, it might be made of floor wax, or ground up bricks, or sawdust or things you would never put in your body," Harkins said.
The problem isn't limited to what you buy on the street. Illegal downloading falls into this category, as one musician can attest. "I really appreciate fans who wants to share my music. But I would appreciate them downloading legally rather than illegally," songwriter Addie Brownlee said.
Music and movies are targeted the most by online pirates. The comic book movie "Thor" was one of the three most illegally downloaded movies of last year. Federal lawmakers are working to hammer out that practice with controversial legislation like SOPA and PIPA. After online protests, those bills have been shelved, but the fight is far from over.
