Key points:
- Amazon suspends buyer accounts via email, and the reasons for it may vary and include: suspicious location and/or activity, problems with personal data and gift card and credit card issues. Usually, the problem is easily solved if you follow all the necessary steps.
- If your account gets suspended on Amazon, you can’t use it by any means, and won’t have access to other websites using your Amazon.com log-in except for Amazon.cn and Amazon.co.jp, etc. You won’t be able to access digital content related to Amazon Music, Amazon Drive and Prime Photos, or any of the Amazon Appstore. You won’t have access to your customer profile as well as account history. You can’t use the remaining Amazon Gift Card or promotional credit balance.
- In order to reinstate Amazon’s account, reply to the email with an appeal letter asking for the reason for suspension and how you can solve the problem. Then gather all the documentation required and send it in the requested format. Don’t blame or assault the company, be professional and polite.
- To avoid getting suspended on Amazon, complete all the registration details, don’t use multiple shipping addresses or someone else’s credit card, purchase expensive electronic devices with your credit card and not frequently, use a gift card for cheap orders and don’t store gift cards, don’t order frequently or in bulk from a buyer’s account and stick to using your own credit card, regardless of an account type.
It may be surprising, but suspending buyer accounts is not a rare occurrence on Amazon. In fact, in 2018, the company blocked hundreds of its customers with no explanation, which caused a lot of uproar on social media. The reasons for being suspended by Amazon may vary, but luckily this issue can be solved. In this article, we’ll go over the possible reasons why Amazon can ban its customers as well as how to get the buyer’s account reinstated.
What is an Amazon Account Suspension?
The reasons for account suspension can be classified into three categories: suspicious location and/or activity, problems with personal data and gift card and credit card issues.
If you face an Amazon Account Suspension, there are two situations. One would be that your account is closed because of the violation of any policy subjugated over you. Otherwise, you may have been banned from the service, which is more serious since it means that you may have committed a serious violation. If you doubt whether you can handle this, hire professionals.
Reasons For Amazon Account Suspension
Suspicious account activity or unusual location changes can be the reason for account suspension. Here is a list of things that might trigger the Amazon AI:
- Location—Certain countries such as Nigeria, India, and China are blacklisted due to a high fraud rate. This means buyers should avoid purchasing electronics from these countries if they want to pay with a gift card, or otherwise, their Amazon account will be suspended.
- Unusual changes in billing/shipping address and username — Amazon’s security system can be triggered by an unusual activity, such as arbitrary and frequent changes in the address details. If there’s a need to change the address, users should keep the same name or contact customer support for advice.
- Switching from personal to a business account – on Amazon, users have the option to create buyer and business accounts at the same time. Amazon allows each seller to have only one account, meaning having more than one seller account is considered fraud. But, users can have multiple buyer accounts. Usually, a buyer account is associated with a seller account, but one is allowed to have a separate buyer account. The problem with linking a buyer account with a seller account is that Amazon can see it as suspicious activity.
- Frequent changes in sign-in location and IP address— Frequently logging into your account from different locations can be seen as suspicious activity, and the account can be banned.
- Periodic purchasing of expensive electronics—According to the new rules, the security system can be triggered if you are using a personal account in place of a business one.
- Suspicious activity—Amazon uses AI to scan accounts in bulk, and sometimes it can take down accounts that don’t fit into what the system recognizes as right.
- Any form of Terms of Service violation.
Other reasons for getting account suspension on Amazon include:
- Using unverified gift cards or gift cards with a high denomination or volume balance;
- Having incomplete or mismatched account information;
- Using a stolen or hacked credit card on an Amazon account;
- Using a borrowed credit card linked to a suspended Amazon account;
- Leaving offensive, threatening or fake reviews;
- Making too many returns without a solid reason;
- Sharing account and payment information with other people, which they use to open other Amazon accounts;
- Using a different device to log in to the account;
- Allowing somebody with a suspended account to use your device;
- Using someone else’s device, which belonged to a suspended buyer or seller.
How Does Amazon Suspend an Account
Amazon monitors millions of different accounts of all types every day, and for many operations, the company uses A.I. or Artificial Intelligence – especially for account checking and suspension. Amazon uses certain algorithms and screens everyone who has a few buyer accounts under the same name. Amazon also has access to your data, including:
- Basic account information like name, age, phone number(s), address;
- Payment information;
- I.P. address;
- Friends and other people’s email addresses;
- Content of reviews;
- Emails you sent to your customers;
- Documents concerning identities, such as Social Security and driver’s license;
- Credit history;
- Device’s location;
- Phonebook or email address contents.
If you get a suspension email from Amazon, the first step is to check whether it’s really from Amazon or it’s a scam trying to steal your personal and credit card details. Amazon can contact its customers via email, phone, and SMS. Amazon’s email address format is “@amazon.co.ca/.uk/.fr/.de/.com/etc.”
Remember that Amazon will never:
- Ask for any personal, payment information and passwords
- Ask you to update payment information not connected to your Amazon order.
- Offer you a refund without a valid reason.
- Ask for remote access to your device.
- Ask for payment outside Amazon’s website.
After the Amazon account has been suspended, the user can’t use it by any means and if accused of fraud – loses all of its balance. Also, all the refunds and returns won’t be processed, and the user’s reputation as a seller will be affected.
The user won’t have access to other websites using their Amazon.com log-in (Audible.com, accounts at international Amazon sites (co.uk/.fr/.de/.es/.ca/.in/.au/.com.br/.nl/.it/.com.mx) except for Amazon.cn and Amazon.co.jp, etc.). The user won’t have access to digital content related to Amazon Music, Amazon Drive and Prime Photos, or any of the Amazon Appstore. You won’t have access to your customer profile as well as account history. If you have a remaining Amazon Gift Card or promotional credit balance, you won’t be able to use the funds.
Unfortunately, when Amazon sends a suspension email, its content will not specify the reason for suspension and how to solve the problem. Luckily, below we’ll go over the necessary steps for reinstating your account.
How to Get Amazon Account Reinstated
First, don’t panic or rush ranting on social media once you receive the suspension notice because it’ll significantly lower your chances of getting your buyer account back and, eventually, a linked seller account, too.
As soon as you receive the notification, take immediate action:
- Reply immediately to the email and explain to the support representative that you haven’t broken any rules.
- Wait for the response—it shouldn’t take more than 48 hours
- Gather authentic documents to support your case and try to avoid altering or changing the document.
- Carefully follow instructions, as Amazon doesn’t tolerate disobedience.
- Provide all the necessary details and make sure not to leave out any important information. However, if Amazon requested particular information, only provide them with it and don’t add anything excessive.
- Take responsibility for the issue and acknowledge all the mistakes (even if you are not at fault).
- Avoid accusation, instead – be polite and professional.
- Be honest and remember that Amazon stores all your important data.
- Send the documentation in the form they require and wait 48 hours for the reply. If nothing happens, have Amazon call you.
- Wait about another three days for your account to become available.
While approaching the problem and writing the appeal letter, answer the following questions to help with Amazon suspension:
- What caused the problem? Admit your mistakes and apologize for them.
- How can you resolve the issue? Make a plan of action (POA). Suggest proactive steps.
- What will you do to prevent it from happening again?
At the end of the email, write a polite request to reinstate your Amazon account. After the email is sent, be patient and wait for a reply and don’t spam the company with status requests. If your account was successfully reinstated, send a thank you letter and repeat your promise to avoid any further issues.
How to Avoid Amazon Buyer Account Suspension
Even if you haven’t received an Amazon account suspension email, a little precaution will help you to avoid this unpleasant situation. Follow these tips to prevent suspension:
- Fill in all the personal information correctly to the best of your knowledge, and don’t use anybody else’s information by any means.
- Avoid using multiple shipping addresses.
- You may use Amazon services from other countries except in the USA.
- Purchase expensive electronic devices with your credit card, but don’t do it frequently.
- Use a gift card for cheap orders, and don’t store gift cards. For buying expensive products, use credit or debit cards.
- If you’re planning to order frequently or in bulk, upgrade to an Amazon Business account.
- Don’t use virtual or prepaid credit cards.
- If you’re using a gift card as a payment method and the order is still pending after five hours, cancel the order.
- Stick to using your own credit card, regardless of your account type.
- Don’t open multiple seller accounts.
- When creating a seller account, don’t link it with your buyer account. If necessary, use different payment and shipping information.
- Go over Amazon’s security and privacy policies.
- If you live in a country like Nigeria, India, or China, avoid using gift cards for purchasing expensive items.
- Don’t use someone else’s credit card to shop online.
- Ensure you have enough funds to activate any Amazon Service.
- Avoid logging into the account from different IP Addresses frequently. Also, avoid shopping from countries that make them suspicious.
Can I Open an Alternate Amazon Buyer Account Upon Suspension?
It’s possible to open an alternate buyer account after being suspended, but Amazon can suspect your new account as well. This is because users often use the same info details as that of the account that was suspended, therefore, Amazon can find out whether the same user has been trying to create another account. With this said, if your account is suspended, you need to reinstate it immediately.
For opening a new account, you’ll need a new mobile number, name, billing address, etc. Therefore, it’s easier to reinstate the old account than to open a new one.