Fraudulent buyers and reporting abuse
I’m a new seller on Amazon and I wanted to share this experience and get advice. I enrolled my product into Amazons Vine program - which is where you can get honest reviews in exchange for a free product. I then joined a vine social media group (I’m not a viner, but wanted to share that the product is enrolled) and I naively responded to a post where someone was open to reviewing new vine enrolled products. This individual offered to provide an honest review of my product…. After seeing my product (I sent the link of what it was), he then said the comission was very high for this. I said NO THANK YOU - unfortunately, I don’t think his first language is English because he then shared a screenshot of the order. He also said that he claimed a vine unit and also made a “real” paid order… I was …. Shocked?! I said, please cancel because I’m not going to pay you comission. I was then harassed throughout the day and night - not only that, I also had 7 sales in a short time span (hours).
Please bear in mind that this is a new product, no reviews and I’ve sold 2 so far. I’m at a particularly vulnerable time as a new brand.
Low and behold, I find another message in my spam folder from someone else, with screenshot of all these other order numbers… I told them to stop harassing me and to contact Amazon customer service for support on cancelling their orders. All of their orders are in “pending status” - except for 1 normal and 1 vine unit.
They didn't like my response - I received more threats that they will share my product with their extensive team and give me a ton of terrible reviews. They used horrible vulgar language towards me and were awful. I ended up blocking them and reporting this to Amazon (over the phone). I have screenshots and videos of the messages - so at least I have evidence of the abuse.
These people worked together to target me. They were very experienced scammers. I am not sure where they live, but they either have a network of buyers in the US or they have a network of dodgy payment methods because most of their orders are still pending.
I am now anxiously waiting for terrible reviews that could tank my business.
I was advised to report it through the “abuse by buyers” form. Unfortunately, the form does not recognize my order number, or the vine order. What else can I do? Report the fraud and harassment to the authorities?
Advice needed
Fraudulent buyers and reporting abuse
I’m a new seller on Amazon and I wanted to share this experience and get advice. I enrolled my product into Amazons Vine program - which is where you can get honest reviews in exchange for a free product. I then joined a vine social media group (I’m not a viner, but wanted to share that the product is enrolled) and I naively responded to a post where someone was open to reviewing new vine enrolled products. This individual offered to provide an honest review of my product…. After seeing my product (I sent the link of what it was), he then said the comission was very high for this. I said NO THANK YOU - unfortunately, I don’t think his first language is English because he then shared a screenshot of the order. He also said that he claimed a vine unit and also made a “real” paid order… I was …. Shocked?! I said, please cancel because I’m not going to pay you comission. I was then harassed throughout the day and night - not only that, I also had 7 sales in a short time span (hours).
Please bear in mind that this is a new product, no reviews and I’ve sold 2 so far. I’m at a particularly vulnerable time as a new brand.
Low and behold, I find another message in my spam folder from someone else, with screenshot of all these other order numbers… I told them to stop harassing me and to contact Amazon customer service for support on cancelling their orders. All of their orders are in “pending status” - except for 1 normal and 1 vine unit.
They didn't like my response - I received more threats that they will share my product with their extensive team and give me a ton of terrible reviews. They used horrible vulgar language towards me and were awful. I ended up blocking them and reporting this to Amazon (over the phone). I have screenshots and videos of the messages - so at least I have evidence of the abuse.
These people worked together to target me. They were very experienced scammers. I am not sure where they live, but they either have a network of buyers in the US or they have a network of dodgy payment methods because most of their orders are still pending.
I am now anxiously waiting for terrible reviews that could tank my business.
I was advised to report it through the “abuse by buyers” form. Unfortunately, the form does not recognize my order number, or the vine order. What else can I do? Report the fraud and harassment to the authorities?
Advice needed
13 respuestas
Seller_4zBzdtgCyS9EI
Vine member don't have a random group on facebook! Nor do they need facebook to see what new products are available.
Not sure if you can fix this and contacting support can backfire and get your account suspended. Then the real pain begins
Seller_rI7BZIczK8iAC
Probably you joined an ordinary review group on FB = HIGH DANGER! Amazon's AI will detect this and if there is only ONE proof that you got a review from that group your account will be suspended forever for review manipulation. So, first thing to do leave this group!!
If really you will get bad reviews there are (costly and timeconsuming) ways to get out of it.
Seller_WBnGS7Ix3XiDX
I started my own product years ago. I always felt a little help will burn me.
My advice, just be paItient. If you have a good product, maybe throw $5;a day to advertise, but don't use vine for reviews. A good me product will sell itself.
I would never buy a product that was given for free. A free product is the commission. You can pay an influencer on Instagram, but don't let someone go near you're Amazon acct.
Can you just pay them something, & get away from them? Sometimes that's what you have to do. Hopefully it would end it. They seem like they just want money.
I'm so sorry this is happening. It's so hard to find the right people, that don't want to scam you.
Seller_4zBzdtgCyS9EI
You discussed this with a potential buyer leaving a review for a free product and even here it sounds like this was working for you...until you realized they want money!
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You joined a facebook group that you have not vetted and tried to promote your product to potential reviewers for free products. The only legit vine group on facebook will NOT accept Amazon sellers. Your account is at high risk for permanent suspension.
