{"id":8674,"date":"2019-07-26T07:15:18","date_gmt":"2019-07-26T07:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.sellerapp.com\/blog\/?p=8674"},"modified":"2026-02-20T17:01:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T11:31:47","slug":"amazon-scams-sellers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sellerapp.com\/blog\/amazon-scams-sellers\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazon Scams: How Sellers Can Stay Protected?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are Amazon Scams still on the rise? Well, the topic of scamming pops out a lot from different forums and if you had any experience recently, then it isn\u2019t unusual. When we researched deeper on this, we also came across a few sellers who received a few questionable mails, calls, and even to an extent of the investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you may think of those phishing scams<\/a> to be mere money-transfer requests, it can be much more than that. Turns out that scams these days happen to target new Amazon sellers. So, if you are just starting out, could that be you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well,\nscammers are turning out to be very sneaky. They know how the world of Amazon\nworks and try to infiltrate. They use smart and convincing language while writing\nemails to make any seller tricked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scams aren\u2019t new. They have been there around for decades. Every day more ingenious scams or loopholes are unveiled and leveraged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With thousands of sellers created every day on Amazon and a few obstacles to entry, it is no surprise that there is a big risk for seller frauds. A recent study from <\/strong>Marketplace Pulse<\/strong><\/a> reported that there are 100 new counterfeit accounts created every day. And during high-traffic<\/strong> times, holiday season, peak times, these numbers tend to be even higher.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to take the necessary steps to shield your business. However, the good news is that you can avoid being scammed. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Do Amazon Scams Still Exist?<\/strong> <\/h3>\n
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Besides Amazon being one of the world\u2019s biggest e-retailers, scams out here have significantly grown over the years. <\/p>\n

You will be surprised to read that there are many fraudulent sellers who tend to put up fake product listings<\/a> that they don\u2019t truly have or plan to ship but are created just to get payments from customers. <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As an honest Amazon seller, scams like these can frequently jeopardize your entire business. While Amazon is known for being highly reactive to these scams than proactive, there are a few balances and checks you can do to minimize your repercussions associated with the so-called \u201cseller fraud.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Amazon Scams To Be Aware Of<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Phishing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet\nscams are widely understood and well known. This is where a term like\n\u201cphishing\u201d comes in.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phishing is a term<\/a> used when someone acts or pretends to be a trustworthy organization (like Amazon or eBay) and tries to acquire personal details from you to steal your funds or identity<\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phishing scams are quite common. Moreover, identity thefts are extensive<\/a>, with more intricate and yet sophisticated tactics to extract personal data constantly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you are new to phishing scams, you should start reading more about them just to have basic knowledge so that you can protect your business further. These types of scams happen mostly via emails where hackers send you emails containing malicious links, which when clicked, redirects you to a whole new space and acquires your private information, and have the ability to retrieve the most secret passwords that you have set up. There are several ways to protect yourself from phishing attacks, one of them is using email authentication protocols such as DKIM and SPF<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The scam of \u201cFailed Delivery\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This scam type\nis too old and occurs quite often. So, this is exactly what happens here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A buyer purchases a product online and says that the item did not arrive. He or she claims either for a replacement or refund even if they had received the product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, this might be true in some cases, but it is vital to take proper precautions to prevent yourself from being scammed and further, affecting your seller performance metrics and feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While\nshipping an expensive product to a customer, send it through track-and-trace\npostage, as this protects you during disputes and helps verify when the item\nwas actually delivered. This literally means that no product can be delivered\nwithout the recipient\u2019s signature upon getting the product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The \u201cReplace & Refund\u201d Scam<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This type of scam is what it sounds like \u2013 a seller posts an item to the shopper, who then exchanges it with an exact piece but \u201cold or damaged\u201d and asks the seller for a refund. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, this happens very often and is often used in the gaming industry. If you happen to sell video gaming consoles or something similar on Amazon, be aware of this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A scammer\nusually orders a game. When it is shipped and delivered, he or she swaps it with\na broken or scratched one. Then, he or she returns it because it does not work.\nThis is where it gets trickier because the seller will not be able to prove\nthis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even pictures\nare unconvincing evidence because they may not be legit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this scam can be resolved by\nperforming a proper quality test and attaching a good tamper-proof sticker.\nThese stickers are exclusively designed. Therefore, even if someone tries to\ndetach it from the actual product, it tears. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These stickers can be purchased online and in bulk. They don\u2019t cost much and are a great way to find if the product that the customer has claimed a refund for, is actually the one that you (as a seller) has dispatched, or it has been swapped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mention in\nthe product description that you have tested the item and have included a\nwarranty sticker, to prevent potential scams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Email scams<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As said\nearlier, most scams happen via email because they are the best ways to making\nyou to get your personal information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never dispatch a product to a buyer unless it shows\nup in \u201cYour Orders.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If an order\ndoesn\u2019t appear in \u201cyour orders\u201d, and yet receive an email about it, it is a\nclear sign of scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just delete that email. Never do the mistake of responding to it because most scammers invent an order and further, ask for confidential details about shipping and payment to lure you to give more data. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommended Guide:<\/strong>\u00a0How Does Amazon Seller Payment Schedule Work<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, if you get emails that has attachments, and you are not sure of, delete it or don\u2019t open any of those attachments. Keep in mind that Amazon will not ask for sensitive details. So, don\u2019t be tricked or fooled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Protect Your \u201cSelling Business\u201d\non Amazon?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are\nsome steps you can take to help yourself in preserving the integrity of your\nselling business:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Report Amazon about any fraudulent activity\nthat you suspect<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While researching more about Amazon seller scams, we came across a message that a seller posted<\/a> on the Seller Central forum. He suggests sending an email to Amazon the moment you suspect fraudulent seller activity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He recommends sending such an email should be sent in the following format so that it grabs the attention of an Amazon executive and helps him or her to take action as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n