It’s hoped that the new lawsuits will provide protection for Amazon customers and selling partners.
A lawsuit was filed by Amazon in February 2023 against six defendants as part of a new legal effort to stop fake review brokers and protect Amazon’s customers and partners. The defendants in each of the lawsuits described below provide false review services to bad actors who intend to operate Amazon selling accounts. Fraudsters obtain unfair competitive advantages in Amazon’s marketplace by selling fake reviews, intentionally facilitating activities intended to deceive customers, and providing false reviews to customers.
By using advanced technology and expert investigators, Amazon stops the majority of fraudulent or abusive reviews before they affect customers and honest sellers. This results in more than 99% of all products displayed in the store having only authentic reviews. Using these lawsuits complements Amazon’s efforts to prevent fake reviews by ensuring that the fraudsters responsible are held accountable.
- Case No. 23-2-03323-0 SEA: The plaintiff, Woorke, is a UK-based private limited company that sells fake positive reviews for $99-$110 plus reimbursement for the purchase price of the product purchased. The defendants claim they can “provide reviews from almost all countries.” Further, the defendants claim they sell fake negative reviews that are posted on competitors’ products.
- Case No. 23-2-03317-5: According to the owners and operators of AMZ Trusted Review, they paid over 2,500 reviewers to post fake reviews in Amazon’s U.S. store. Over 2,000 additional reviewers were paid to post fake reviews in Amazon’s UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Indian stores as well. In addition to sending unsolicited emails to Amazon sellers advertising their services, the defendants also suggest prohibited practices that attempt to game Amazon’s systems.
- Case No. 23-2-03320-5 SEA: Amazon v. Amazon Feedback: Amazon Feedback is an Estonia-based website that claims to have 5,000 reviewers available to provide fake positive reviews for $5 each.
- Case No. 23-2-03325-6 SEA.: There is a case involving Amazon v. Blue Marple, which involves the provision of fake favorable reviews on the website for a fee ranging from $135 for three reviews to $900 for 20 reviews.
With its introduction of product reviews in 1995, Amazon was a pioneer in introducing them to help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions. Each review displayed in the company’s stores is guaranteed to be credible and reflects actual customer experiences. In addition to strictly prohibiting fake reviews, Amazon employs over 12,000 employees worldwide to protect its stores from fraud and abuse. Detecting and blocking fake reviews is performed by Amazon’s expert investigators using industry-leading tools. Amazon continues to take legal action against bad actors who facilitate and solicit fake reviews in order to protect customers and sellers. Amazon took legal action against over 90 bad actors in 2022.
Alexis Boutilier is from Vancouver, British Columbia. She has a high interest in all things tech and loves to stay engaged on all the latest appliances and accessories.