Trading standards officers targeting dodgy internet sales have seized a record amount of fake goods.
In the past 12 months, 40,000 items, with a combined sale price of more than £728,000, have been seized, including dangerous electrical goods.
The figure compares with £332,000 for the year before and £237,000 for the year before that.
The leap in the figures is due to Leicestershire County Council's trading standards team searching out more dodgy sales online.
Keith Regan, operations manager for county trading standards, said: "It's a wide range of goods such as clothes and watches, iPads and iPhones, phone covers, car repair manuals and shoes.
"Some are picked up at temporary Sunday markets, but a lot come from auction websites and sales on social media websites.
"Wherever people find there's a footfall the counterfeiters will take the opportunity to sell fake goods.
"There are people who wake up every morning wondering how to deprive people of their hard-earned money."
Between April, 2012, and March this year, the trading standards service also achieved 18 convictions and stopped 22 businesses from unfair trading practices, using formal warnings and agreements.
About £170,000 cash was confiscated from offenders under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Mr Regan said the selling of unsound goods and services harmed the legitimate economy.
He said: "These people take customers away from legitimate businesses and people are left with goods they don't want.
"We also find goods such as make-up, phone chargers and other electrical items that are not safe to use.
"Sales online are becoming harder and harder to regulate but we are working closely using various sources of intelligence to tackle these rogues.''
Often internet sales to people in Leicestershire are made by people from elsewhere, and trading standards in Leicestershire routinely work with their colleagues elsewhere around the region and the country.
In the past year, the trading standards team has also been tackling sales of alcohol to under-18s, with five cases where enforcement action was taken.
Officers have also provided advice and guidance to 1,195 businesses trading in the county to make sure they comply with their legal responsibilities.
Pam Posnett, Leicestershire County Council's cabinet member for trading standards, said: "Trading standards has been doing some fantastic work, helping businesses to trade fairly and keep residents safe.
"We would always urge anyone with any concerns when buying goods or services to get in touch and let us know."
To report concerns, contact the Citizens' Advice Consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06.
For further details on Leicestershire County Council's Trading Standards service, visit:
www.leics.gov.uk/ tradingstandards
