Amazon Banned Me Randomly For No Reason

Garsington

Undervalued said:

In which case is it worth paying £108 per year, particularly if you can register the Echo devices to your wife's account? Alternatively sell them on Gumtree and buy into another system.

Although I use my Fire TV sticks, which on the whole work well, I have been far less impressed with a Fire Tablet and certainly wouldn't buy another and my experience with it would not encourage me to buy an Echo Show or similar.

For me having a few small deliveries a month, next day for free, tips the balance in favour but without that I'd look elsewhere particularly as it will soon cost extra not to have ads on Prime videos!

I don’t - I’m not a prime member (my wife is and is a more frequent shopper on there, it also allows access to a wider range of music), the devices are registered to me so that I can control the home automation side of things, but because my wife is a registered family member we just tell Alexa to “switch accounts” and have a better audio library. 

She’s only really subscribed for the music. I personally believe that music died after the 90s and am quite happy with my mp3 collection!

Grumpy_chap

Undervalued said:

In which case is it worth paying £108 per year,

You don't need to pay to use Echo devices - I don't.

One thing the OP might want to check out is whether Amazon would eventually close the account if there are no purchases or interactions if the account is assessed as dormant?
I don't know what is required to keep an account "active".
I suspect an Echo event on home automation would not be detected
It may be that simply logging in periodically and browsing some stuff to buy (even if not actually buying) is sufficient to keep an account "active".

LoadofBalloney

I am just going thru the same experience of this. Had account since 2009 with almost min returns and guess what blocked and reduced to digital purchases only. Assume because I have a credit balance but I do not use this side. So far blank wall OFM the nameless keyboard warrior use same script over and over. Say you have right of appeal guess what that is just waffle even presenting my return over the years was met with same reply blah blah blah.  Now using Data protection act 2018 to obtain details of what they have on me and any other so called "closed" accounts as this is what they are using as excuse. They need to tighten up on ID checking before accounts can be open as I think it maybe a fake account in my name...what else can it be. 
Trying all avenues Trading Standards etc etc  They really should have an ombudsman for these companies to bring them to heal.
Now just going to close the account go elsewhere with my business.

LoadofBalloney

Garsington said:

Hello All - my first post, so please be kind .

I was hoping somebody might be able to offer some advice about how to approach an issue I have with Amazon.

Mid-afternoon on 31/12/23 I received an email from Amazon out of the blue stating that my account was linked to an account that they have previously closed and as such they had closed my account with immediate effect and I would no longer be able to use any of their services.  Simultaneously all the Amazon Echo devices in the house signed out and as such I realised that this wasn’t a scam, or a phishing exercise.

I have only ever had one Amazon account for well over a decade and as far as I am aware have never been in breach of their T&Cs, in fact I would like to think I was a model customer with various Amazon devices and the occasional purchase.  I have certainly never had an account closed. 

I immediately called Amazon Customer services who said they couldn’t help me, but confirmed I was banned from their platform, and I must reply to the OFM@amazon.co.uk email address.  I have been trading emails with them since. 

Despite pleading my innocence, I just seem to repeatedly receive standardised emails, with one or two tweaks relating to whatever I have previously emailed to them, claiming that I have in the past had an account closed down for breaching their T&Cs and somehow my current account is linked to that (all of which is a complete fabrication!).  They continually say that they have completed an in-depth review and their decision is final, they refuse to share the detail of what they are basing this decision on and are also refusing to allow me to escalate the matter to a supervisor or similar.  I can only think that some kind of algorithm has erroneously flagged me for the special treatment and am astounded by how poorly they are treating me despite having been loyal to them. 

Searching through threads they often seem to do this to people who have returned too many items but I have only ever returned a set of headphones several years ago and as above am told it’s because my account is linked to another (which is just not correct).  We have lived at our address for the last 15 years and equally it cant be related to any previous occupiers of our property because the older lady that lived there previously (for 84 years) didn’t even have a PC.

I am at a complete loss as to what to do.  Amazon won’t engage with me, all my speakers and smart home gadgets will no longer work as they should and there isn’t a grain of truth in their claims.  If it weren’t for the echo devices I’m not sure I would want to deal with them again in any event given my experience of the last few days!  I'm a man of principle and am considering getting my solicitor to send them a letter, but the cost will likely outweigh the benefit - that said I am feeling victimised and they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it.

Has anybody else been in this situation and managed to resolve it? 

Thanks in advance.

Mike

PS: I have now also fired off emails to a couple of customer service addresses that I have found randomly online but had no response from them as yet....

See my post same....issue

Aylesbury_Duck

LoadofBalloney said:

I am just going thru the same experience of this. Had account since 2009 with almost min returns and guess what blocked and reduced to digital purchases only. Assume because I have a credit balance but I do not use this side. So far blank wall OFM the nameless keyboard warrior use same script over and over. Say you have right of appeal guess what that is just waffle even presenting my return over the years was met with same reply blah blah blah.  Now using Data protection act 2018 to obtain details of what they have on me and any other so called "closed" accounts as this is what they are using as excuse. They need to tighten up on ID checking before accounts can be open as I think it maybe a fake account in my name...what else can it be. 
Trying all avenues Trading Standards etc etc  They really should have an ombudsman for these companies to bring them to heal.
Now just going to close the account go elsewhere with my business.

For what?  Choosing not to do business with you?  No ombudsman is going to "bring them to heel" and force them to sell to you, unless there's evidence they're excluding you on the basis of a protected characteristic.

LoadofBalloney

Aylesbury_Duck said:

LoadofBalloney said:

I am just going thru the same experience of this. Had account since 2009 with almost min returns and guess what blocked and reduced to digital purchases only. Assume because I have a credit balance but I do not use this side. So far blank wall OFM the nameless keyboard warrior use same script over and over. Say you have right of appeal guess what that is just waffle even presenting my return over the years was met with same reply blah blah blah.  Now using Data protection act 2018 to obtain details of what they have on me and any other so called "closed" accounts as this is what they are using as excuse. They need to tighten up on ID checking before accounts can be open as I think it maybe a fake account in my name...what else can it be. 
Trying all avenues Trading Standards etc etc  They really should have an ombudsman for these companies to bring them to heal.
Now just going to close the account go elsewhere with my business.

For what?  Choosing not to do business with you?  No ombudsman is going to "bring them to heel" and force them to sell to you, unless there's evidence they're excluding you on the basis of a protected characteristic.

Ok so you are ok that they just refuse to sell to you. I mean where else does that happen. If you have poor credit etc yes agree but not out of the blue and as I said customer since 2009. I have returned 1 item this year out of 22 orders, so you think this is reasonable?

Aylesbury_Duck

LoadofBalloney said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

LoadofBalloney said:

I am just going thru the same experience of this. Had account since 2009 with almost min returns and guess what blocked and reduced to digital purchases only. Assume because I have a credit balance but I do not use this side. So far blank wall OFM the nameless keyboard warrior use same script over and over. Say you have right of appeal guess what that is just waffle even presenting my return over the years was met with same reply blah blah blah.  Now using Data protection act 2018 to obtain details of what they have on me and any other so called "closed" accounts as this is what they are using as excuse. They need to tighten up on ID checking before accounts can be open as I think it maybe a fake account in my name...what else can it be. 
Trying all avenues Trading Standards etc etc  They really should have an ombudsman for these companies to bring them to heal.
Now just going to close the account go elsewhere with my business.

For what?  Choosing not to do business with you?  No ombudsman is going to "bring them to heel" and force them to sell to you, unless there's evidence they're excluding you on the basis of a protected characteristic.

Ok so you are ok that they just refuse to sell to you. I mean where else does that happen. If you have poor credit etc yes agree but not out of the blue and as I said customer since 2009. I have returned 1 item this year out of 22 orders, so you think this is reasonable?

Legally, yes of course.  Would I like it if it happened to me?  Of course not, but that's not the point.  This forum is about your consumer rights, and unless you believe they've discriminated against you on the basis of a protected characteristic, they have every right to refuse to serve you.

Ergates

LoadofBalloney said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

LoadofBalloney said:

I am just going thru the same experience of this. Had account since 2009 with almost min returns and guess what blocked and reduced to digital purchases only. Assume because I have a credit balance but I do not use this side. So far blank wall OFM the nameless keyboard warrior use same script over and over. Say you have right of appeal guess what that is just waffle even presenting my return over the years was met with same reply blah blah blah.  Now using Data protection act 2018 to obtain details of what they have on me and any other so called "closed" accounts as this is what they are using as excuse. They need to tighten up on ID checking before accounts can be open as I think it maybe a fake account in my name...what else can it be. 
Trying all avenues Trading Standards etc etc  They really should have an ombudsman for these companies to bring them to heal.
Now just going to close the account go elsewhere with my business.

For what?  Choosing not to do business with you?  No ombudsman is going to "bring them to heel" and force them to sell to you, unless there's evidence they're excluding you on the basis of a protected characteristic.

Ok so you are ok that they just refuse to sell to you. I mean where else does that happen. If you have poor credit etc yes agree but not out of the blue and as I said customer since 2009. I have returned 1 item this year out of 22 orders, so you think this is reasonable?

Moreover to what Aylesbury_Duck said - do you believe the law should be able to compel you to do business with someone you didn't want to?

Garsington

I can only sympathise - this was an incredibly frustrating experience for me and the ultimate reinstatement of my account didn’t leave me feeling valued as a customer at all. Irritatingly I have gone on to buy from them again (damn you great value lawn weed and feed!) but if I could see a way to divest myself from the Echo speakers with a comparable home system at limited cost I would. 

My only advice would be to use the option to appeal. My suspicion is that they immediately fire back and say ban upheld irrespective, but ultimately they do review if you argue hard enough. Clearly a major failing of their system algorithms that seems to randomly select honest folks (alongside dishonest ones I would hope) for the special treatment!

Good luck! 

booneruk

LoadofBalloney said:

Ok so you are ok that they just refuse to sell to you. I mean where else does that happen. 

What? Plenty of places. I recall being turned away from many pompous night venues in my past due to being clad in incorrect footwear for example. I might have also been refused at a bar for having consumed one too many - although I have no memory of such an event. I'd also fully expect be refused if I showed up to a female yoga session. 

The point I'm making is, businesses aren't compelled to take your custom.