SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN):
What:
Amazon immediately filed a federal lawsuit within the Western District of Washington towards a number of yet-to-be-named people for working an unlawful promoting scheme. The unhealthy actors in query are utilizing Amazon’s identify in textual content messages and on pretend surveys as a part of an internet affiliate marketing scheme. The swimsuit permits Amazon to broaden its investigation and maintain the unhealthy actors accountable. This swimsuit is a part of the corporate’s rising efforts to shield customers from schemes that fraudulently use Amazon’s identify.
Bad actors in these schemes revenue by creating fraudulent textual content message campaigns that drive visitors to advertisers and web sites. These pretend textual content messages are deliberately designed to trick unsuspecting customers to click on on a hyperlink through the use of Amazon’s identify and providing recipients “rewards” or different “items.”
Instead, victims are redirected to a web site to take a survey, which additionally fraudulently makes use of Amazon’s model and guarantees a reward for participation. Once members click on for his or her reward, they’re despatched on to on-line entrepreneurs, advertisers and web sites to purchase services or products that haven’t any relation to Amazon. The defendants revenue from charges paid to them by internet affiliate marketing networks and advertisers for the fraudulently created visitors.
Amazon invests important assets to shield clients and its model, and has a historical past of figuring out and shutting down related operations. Amazon has already filed 5 lawsuits towards fraudulent internet affiliate marketing schemes, received a number of injunctions in court docket to cease the unlawful actions, and entered settlements with seven events during which they agreed to cease their campaigns and pay in extra of $1.5 million in damages.
Statement (attributable to Kathy Sheehan, VP, Business Conduct & Ethics, Amazon)
“Amazon works laborious to construct a fantastic, trusted expertise for our clients and sellers. These unhealthy actors are misusing our model to deceive the general public and we are going to maintain them accountable. We additionally need to remind customers to be vigilant and learn the way to acknowledge the indicators of a rip-off so they’re protected, regardless of the place they store.”
Additional Background:
Case: 2:21-cv-00627, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
The Better Business Bureau presents easy tips about how to acknowledged and keep away from scams, https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams
In March 2021, the U.S. District Court of Utah the Federal Trade Commission’s filed order towards 4 firms for working a telemarketing scheme that fraudulently used Amazon Associates’ identify to provide pretend work-from-home alternatives.
https://press.aboutamazon.com/news-releases/news-release-details/ftc-obtains-permanent-ban-and-2m-judgment-work-home-scammer
In June 2020, Amazon shut down three electronic mail based mostly internet affiliate marketing schemes in Michigan, Colorado, and California.
https://press.aboutamazon.com/news-releases/news-release-details/amazon-stops-multiple-fraudulent-affiliate-marketing-schemes
In April 2019, Amazon stopped an Illinois-based affiliate marketer, First Impression Interactive, Inc. and its homeowners from promoting pretend work-from-home jobs with Amazon. As a results of Amazon’s efforts, First Impression and its homeowners at the moment are prohibited from utilizing Amazon’s model in any future advertising.
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/04/10/amazon-work-from-home-job-scam-first-impression-interactive/
