Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit at work
Hello Seller's,
I speak to lots of you daily/weekly etc. regarding counterfeit products and even though you, individually may still be facing an uphill battle on this topic. the Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) is always hard at work and most often behind the scenes to taking down bad actors.
I invite you to take a look at the CCU's most recent success. If interested, please click on the story below for more:
As always, please provide any comments to the story in the thread. In addition, if you want to continue to see content like this please thumbs up, but if you do not want to see content like this, please thumbs down.
Best, Dougal
Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit at work
Hello Seller's,
I speak to lots of you daily/weekly etc. regarding counterfeit products and even though you, individually may still be facing an uphill battle on this topic. the Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) is always hard at work and most often behind the scenes to taking down bad actors.
I invite you to take a look at the CCU's most recent success. If interested, please click on the story below for more:
As always, please provide any comments to the story in the thread. In addition, if you want to continue to see content like this please thumbs up, but if you do not want to see content like this, please thumbs down.
Best, Dougal
89 replies
Seller_rI7BZIczK8iAC
"The number of bad actor attempts to create new selling accounts decreased from 6 million attempts in 2020, to 700,000 in 2023, stopping them before they were able to attempt to list a single product for sale in our store."
That's great. Nevertheless, as a small brand we always fear hijackers on our listings, which of course do NOT sell our original product but another brand. And when it happens, it's very difficult or impossible to make Amazon remove them.
Small brands would really like to have the same possibility like "Generic" listings: that the listing is blocked for any other seller.
Seller_iobipI6xASRkh
Being able to report abuse in the first place would help. I don't have the report seller abuse feature 'product is materially different' so someone has been running a business on eBay selling stolen Amazon goods and I can't report it because every 'my issue is not listed here' submission is immediately rejected for not having a reason. I have a mile-long paper trail on this guy, and can't do a thing about it.
Seller_4HsL3GZbyDLea
I suspect that Amazon will end up helping huge companies a lot and small brands like me not much at all.
And like others have mentioned.. Why do small brands CONSTANTLY have our brand fields on our listings changed by hijackers? How is this even possible? Amazon seems to have no desire to stop this.
Can I change a Dewalt or GE brand to my brand? Nope. Can some random hijacker from a large Asian country change my brand field? All day long for some crazy reason.
Seller_oDXVaydIpi3Hi
Interesting to see the names involved in these cases. [Moderator Edit: removed personal information]. Common theme. Good to see these few cases, but honestly so much more needs to be done. Then I hate saying that because every time Amazon does something they tend to screw it up and take out a ton of innocent people, too.
Seller_qMgi7qxvEo7f1
Hijackers are changing brand names on listings, then they report the "owner" of the listing page falsely for using their brand.
My question would be, if I can't change things on my own listings, how can others do that with bad intents? How can they change the brand and report someone immediately, and how Amazon's safety guards won't stop them for it? Is there an Amazon safety guard for that? If not, should be!
If the Hijackers did that, how come Amazon is NOT able to help and why the listing owner has to spend literally DAYS to solve the problem, and how is only 50% of the time work, and 50% of the time Amazon says "forget it and relist it"? How Amazon thinks that is ok to hijack listing pages like this and how they don't know that the relisting is literally starting all over, sometimes a 10-12 years old well running product-listing?
It happened to me so many times... How about if someone lists a product, then only he/she can change that page? That would solve the issue. About half of my listings have strange brand names on them at this point, and my listing pages go to weird websites. How is that ok? Listing pages are used by hijackers to advertise outside-websites.
This is not only risky for the seller, but even risky for the buyers who just surfing on Amazon, looking at product pages... :-/
Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW
@Dougal_Amazon first they are not bad actors call them what they are criminals. Defrauding consumers is a crime, its not a bad actor.
There has been ongoing fraud in the jewelry space for over a year. According to Amazons team when you report the violiation its not a violation even though it violates Amazons own policies.
Sellers calling items 14K gold, putting on the detail pages "metal stamp 14K" and shipping gold plated brass to consumers. That is fraud, plain and simple, intent to deceive and a victim. Amazon has known about this practice for quite some time, yet allows it.
The bad actors are the ones calling moissanite "labe created diamonds" according to the FTC this is unfair / deceptive, yet, Amazon still allows it.
Lets have some definitions.
Bad actor: someone that breaks amazon policies but doesnt break the law. Example, puts a coupon in a box that says buy on our website an save, or even clicks on someones sponsored products to push them out.
Criminal: one who commits a crime like defrauding a consumer. Listing 14K gold, and shipping gold plated brass- criminal.
Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW
The sellers aknowledge in buyer seller messaging that their items are not gold but gold plated brass, yet continue listing the items as 14K gold.
Lets suppose it is a "mistake" , shouldnt they correct it?
What of the consumers that purchased jewelry thinking it's 14K gold and recieved gold plated base metal? Shouldnt they be notified and made whole?
Happy to send you order ID's, Case numbers and examples.
Dougal_Amazon
Hello @Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW,
I am Happy to review the case ID's and escalate accordingly. You also mentioned that you have escalated to SAS premium support, Do you have a Customer Success Manager/Account manager in SAS?
If so, I can also work directly with them on where and how to escalate these IF they have not already!
If you do have a rep in SAS, no need to provide their info here.... I should be able to track them down, especially if you share the SAS premium support case ID with me.
Looking forward to assisting further and where I am able.
Best, Dougal
Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW
Dougal,
The issue is the team actions the item but not the seller. I have dozens of cases here is an example. Amazon actioned the item, the seller confirms in buyer seller messaging that none of their items are gold. The team removed the item, however the seller relisted as a new item right away. So the seller knows they are not selling gold, yet continues to list that way and deceive customers.
Examples Here is a support case : ID 15400408481
Case ID 15098795021
Case: ID 15084227781
I have messaging from the sellers and several others stating that none of their items are gold but gold plated.
This is just an example, there are bunches of sellers doing the same. I have bunches of cases.
SAS Rep knows about it, she has escalated to what her team thinks is the approprate team , yet the practice continiues, and the problem grows.
What about the customers that have purchased what they think is 14K gold that is actually gold plated base metal? Shouldnt they be notifed and offered compensation?
Perhaps better to take this outsid of the forum, I am assuming you can find my contact information?
Dougal_Amazon
Hi @Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW,
One of the benefits of SAS is having a dedicated person to champion these issues for you.
Thank you for the case ID's, I was able to identify your Customer Success Manager and have already reached out to connect with them so I can hopefully assist with escalation or re-escalation as appropriate based on the investigation(s) they have completed.
I agree that our correspondance has certainly strayed from the original topic. Since you are fortunate enough to have a CSM, they really should be your point person so please continue to communicate with them. Please know that I will of course assist them and share information and escalation paths as necessary.
Best, Dougal
Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW
Thank you Dougal
I have been in contact with my CSM. However as they say the squeeky wheel gets the oil. So maybe making more noise and calling out this fraud is the way to go. I have also tried Jeff@
I am still curious what of the customers that have purchase "gold" that is not gold but plated brass, What will Amazon do for them? Just hoping they never find out is not a good stragegy in the long run. In my humble opinion they should be notified and made whole. Every day Amazon allows this to continue the number of ripped off consumers increases. Guessing you wont address the customer issue.
I realize the original topic was hijackers, there are some in the jewerly space. In fact there is a seller listing gold bands that has hijacked listings and is selling fakes. They hijacked a listing for 2mm -10K gold bands Original seller is not brand registered. Not sure if I should post the hijacked listing here. Listing against other sellers listings is prohibited in the jewelry space per Amazon policy. May I link the hijacked listing in this forum? Is that permitted?
We were here when Amazon vigorously enforced their policies in the space, so I am very familiar with the policies.
Dougal_Amazon
HI @Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW,
Ideally, I recommend providing a case ID that provides the ASIN in question as well as additional detail as to why you have reported it, but I get that can be a catch 22 because if you are reporting abuse... I cannot see it.
In our current scenario, I would not flag you posting an ASIN.
Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW
Here look at this- the original brand Tesori & Co is legit as they come. Look at the hijaackers on the listing
I did actually buy one and report it. Not stamped, not gold not trademarked and not from the seller who owns the page Tesori & Co. problem is the team removed 1 ASIN. 1 Size of 1 ring not the seller that hijacked the listing, or the other sizes of the ring which clearly are not gold.
Further its against policy in the jewelry space to list against another sellers listing. Sellers are to create their own detail pages. The performance team needs to be educated on Amazon policies. I have attached a screen shot, for reference.
Dougal_Amazon
Hi @Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW,
Thank you for the additional detail.
I will review this and all other submissions/escalations with your CSM when we connect.
Best, Dougal
Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW
Hi @Dougal_Amazon
Just so we are clear this is not a situation unique to me this is a situation across the Jewelry space.
There is another thread where several other sellers weighed in , and @SEAmodwho it seams gave up on the issue.
Dougal_Amazon
Thanks for linking the other thread @Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW!
Seller_nBUcRErQhJ4JW
@Dougal_Amazon I just wanted to make the point that this is not a me issue this is a category issue.
Affecting consumers , and honest sellers negatively. I think @Seller_8rcwmHdQknTKG and @Seller_v0CyWEjURkddv might weigh in.
Seller_WBnGS7Ix3XiDX
What about the Bots? They take people down for stupid things, and it causes trouble. I, myself have been victim to them.
They need to fix Seller Support as well. Inside & Outside issues need to be fixed.
Seller_ov7tPznFfbE6R
@Dougal_Amazon
Dougal, I contend with folks selling under my brand, every day. I call them piggy-backers. They don't modify my listing. They simply pile on, and sell their own "similar" product, under my brand, at a much lower price (which Amazon loves).
I have no sales force. I have no resellers. It's just me. So, when someone is piggy-backed on my branded listing....according to your own rules, it's illegal. I shouldn't have to report it...but I do, and mod Dominic "tries to help" for months to no avail.
Why isn't it this simple:
Have me sign a document stating I have no resellers, or other selling reps. And then, every piggy backer I report, should get instantly booted. What am I missing? Why isn't it that simple? And, if I am lying, and some "reseller" of my brand can prove to be legit....then I give full permission to shut me down. What am I missing with that solution?
Seller_IUgYw6EAxhLMp
We have suffered a malicious attack from non-verified purchase (NON-VP) bad reviews! We need your help to save our product and listings.
Today, we received 13 non-verified purchase malicious reviews in one day. We have provided enough evidence to Amazon, but they still haven't helped us resolve the issue. These reviews are from new accounts that write malicious comments and give our product 1-star ratings to lower our rating. This has negatively influenced our product and the Amazon platform. We hope Amazon can investigate this and help honest sellers.
I feel very worried and upset. Please help me!
CASE 15607473211
Seller support has refused to help me. They said customers can give reviews even if they have not purchased the product. How ridiculous! Okay, they can post reviews, but why give me 13 bad reviews on the same day?
I hope Amazon can help me resolve this! I think many sellers have suffering this malicious attack!!
@Dougal_Amazon
Dougal_Amazon
Hello @Seller_OvL8C4BJWiuS9,
Thanks for the question and please know that I will be escalating your question to the relevant team. However, I will not provide a public response for several reasons, but most importantly:
- Any enforcement is between that seller and Amazon and will not be publicly disclosed
- Bad actors are also on the forums and the specific process for investigation will not be shared on a public forum
I do understand why you are asking the question and that sentiment will be provided to the relevant team along with the anecdote.
Best, Dougal
Seller_RD6xw3MXvXOke
What do they do?
Its been 5 days since you asked, multiple requests by others who found the post at best insulting to us all , just the brazen alone of posting that on a forum that is full of complaints stating the opposite , pinning it to the top and then
back to work again on the next social media post
