Red Hot Chili Peppers -- Merch Company Sues Over Bootleg Swag

A message to all those dudes who sell unofficial band t-shirts at concerts -- YOUR ASS WILL GET SUED ... especially if those t-shirts say Red Hot Chili Peppers.

A merchandising company named Bravado International just filed a lawsuit in Tampa -- claiming a Tampa resident named Mike Smith has been illegally hocking RHCP t-shirts outside the band's concerts ... and Bravado wants him stopped before he strikes again.

Bravado insists it struck a deal with RHCP for exclusive merchandising rights using the band's name -- and Mike's stepping all over its business ... with inferior products.

According to the suit, Mike's not only violating the exclusive merchandising agreement -- he's hurting their reputation ... because his crappy t-shirts are easily confused with Bravado's.