New report says Amazon struggling to stay on top of recalled items, counterfeits

When you buy items from Amazon, you expect they are safe, but a new report from the Wall Street Journal says the site is struggling to stay on top of recalled items.

When you buy from Amazon it feels like buying from a big box retailer and a brand you trust, but an investigation found over 4,000 items for sale on the site that federal agencies have declared unsafe. Some are labeled deceptively or are banned by regulators.

"Compared to a traditional retail store there's very little vetting that goes on," said WSJ reporter Shane Shifflett.

For example, the Journal found an infant sleeping mat the FDA warned could suffocate babies on Amazon. They also found items like motorcycle helmets that failed safety tests, cosmetic items falsely labeled as FDA approved, and electronics that falsely claim safety certifications. Particularly troubling were the dangerous children's toys still being sold on the site.

"One in particular was a children's musical set came back and had illegal levels of lead in the paint in the Xylophone. The listing claims all kind of certifications," said Shifflett. "It said CPC certified, it said FDA approved. There is no FDA approval for children's toys."

ABC reached out to Amazon for comment and they told us they have, "reviewed and addressed all the items brought to our attention by the Wall Street Journal."

They also said their site uses artificial intelligence to, "scan the more than five billion daily changes to product detail pages, and analyze the tens of millions of customer reviews that are submitted weekly."

Last year alone, the company said they invested over $400 million to, "ensure products offered are safe, compliant, and authentic."