Amazon or Big Brother?

Embiber

Amazon bill themselves as, “building the most consumer-centric company in the world but my experience is very different.  Once Amazon have made a decision there is no complaint procedure and no way to get an independent review.  The only reality is what Big Brother Amazon says it is.

8 days ago, Amazon falsely accused me of fraud.  They said I had requested too many returns.  This is demonstrably false.  Over the last 2 years I have purchased 68 items and made 1 return, which was 3 weeks ago.  Unfortunately, it was an expensive item and I accepted the refund as an Amazon gift credit.  Currently I have a £515.65 credit on my account but Amazon will not let me use this credit to buy anything.
The Amazon email says I can appeal this decision.  I have made an appeal.  I have received no acknowledgement of making an appeal.  Customer service told me I must wait 3 days for a response but in the 7 days since, Amazon has not responded.  I have emailed them every day asking for a response.
Amazon have also banned me from opening another account or using any other account.
I have looked in to this and it seems that Amazon does not have a complaint process and are not legally required to provide one.  The terms and conditions you agreed to when you opened the account apply.

My great concern is what false information about me are Amazon passing on to other companies?

Has this happened to anyone else?
How do I get out of this nightmare?

History
About a week I was sitting at home when my Amazon Echo automatically factory reset itself.  I thought that was weird, then minutes later I received this email from Amazon;

"Hello,
We have closed this account because you have consistently requested refunds for a large number of your orders. While we expect the occasional problem with an order, we cannot continue to issue refunds   to you at this rate.
We have cancelled any open orders and pending refunds on marketplace orders you had on this account.
Any digital content that you purchased with this account is still available to you. To access the content, click the “Manage Your Content and Devices” link on the "Your Orders" menu on Amazon!co!uk.
If you would like to appeal this decision, please reply to this email to reach an Account Specialist. Our Customer Service team can only confirm that we sent this message and help you with technical issues. They cannot reverse this decision or share more details on this matter.
Sincerely,
Account Specialist
Amazon!co!uk”

This is clearly a false statement, because in the last 2 years I have purchased 68 items and only made 1 return, on 27th November.  This was a for a mistaken purchase for which I accepted an Amazon gift card credit, which took 5 days to arrive.  I did not realise my mistake until I opened the item but I returned the item in immaculate condition, so it could be resold as a return.   Unfortunately, it was an expensive item and there was credit of over £500 on my account.
I tried to login but there was message on screen to say my account had been closed.  I then found that all of my Audible books had been deleted.  So, the statement "Any digital content that you purchased with this account is still available to you." was false.
This is part of the Big Brother issue.  The evidence my Amazon order history shows I have only made 1 return in 2 years.  So, the accusation of multiple returns is patently untrue.
Naturally I emailed an appeal but the email address is a vague catch-all email address ofm@amazon!com.  I explained that this claim of multiple returns was wrong as I had only made 1 return in 2 years.  I asked on what evidence were Amazon making this false accusation.
As I could not login into my account, I could not contact customer support.  On Googling, I found that there is a UK number (020 7084 7911) you can call for customer support and after a lot of messing about you can get to speak to someone but as the email says they cannot help you.
Amazon have no complaints procedure and there is no legal requirement for them to provide one.  I did try once before on another issue but the customer support agent just lied to me.  They said it had to go another department and I would receive an email in 24 hours.
However, in response to my call to customer service I received this email a couple of hours later;

"Hello,
We are writing to you to follow up on the recent correspondence you had with our Customer Service team.
We are contacting you to let you know that you can use the gift card balance in your account to purchase digital items only.
Why we are writing?
We have restricted your account to digital purchases only. We will automatically cancel all non- digital orders placed on Amazon!co!uk and if you have been charged, a refund will be processed.
Why did this happen?
We took this action because our records show that we closed another account of yours for not meeting the terms of our Conditions of Use & Sale. When we close your account for violating the terms of this agreement, you cannot open a new account or use another account to place orders from our store.
You may use your gift card balance to purchase digital content.
To learn more about our policies, go to "Amazon!co!uk Conditions of Use & Sale":
https // :www!amazon!co!uk/help/conditionsofuse
If you would like to appeal this decision, reply to this email to reach an Account Specialist. Our Customer Service team can only confirm that we sent this message and help you with technical issues. They cannot reverse this decision or share more details on this matter.
Account Specialist
Amazon!co!uk"

So as well as making a false accusation of fraud against me, not allowing me to spend my money , Amazon are also denying me any future access to their platform.  Very Big Brother.
On checking I found that I could now login to my Amazon account and access my Audible books but all of my Audible credits had been deleted.
This action was not taken in response to my appeal.  My initial appeal has not been acknowledged or responded to, nor have my daily requests for a response.

I contacted Audible and when the agent spoke to me they said, "your account was closed because of a fraud".  This means the false accusation is permanently marked on my account.  My Audible credits were restored but as last month’s subscription had occurred while my Amazon account was closed I was billed again.  The money was taken off my credit card and not the account credit balance.
To me this is another Big Brother issue.  Amazon can change the use of word to suit themselves.  In terms of access to my account, Audible books count as digital content but the monthly Audible subscription is classed as a non-digital item.
As Audible books are the only digital item that I purchase this means I cannot use my money to buy what I want.

I have also tried emailing jeff@amazon!com but once again had no response.

MSE says I am not allowed to have links in my post so I have changed . to !

Alderbank

Embiber said:

Amazon bill themselves as, “building the most consumer-centric company in the world but my experience is very different.  Once Amazon have made a decision there is no complaint procedure and no way to get an independent review.  The only reality is what Big Brother Amazon says it is.

8 days ago, Amazon falsely accused me of fraud.  They said I had requested too many returns.  This is demonstrably false.  Over the last 2 years I have purchased 68 items and made 1 return, which was 3 weeks ago.  Unfortunately, it was an expensive item and I accepted the refund as an Amazon gift credit.  Currently I have a £515.65 credit on my account but Amazon will not let me use this credit to buy anything.
The Amazon email says I can appeal this decision.  I have made an appeal.  I have received no acknowledgement of making an appeal.  Customer service told me I must wait 3 days for a response but in the 7 days since, Amazon has not responded.  I have emailed them every day asking for a response.
Amazon have also banned me from opening another account or using any other account.
I have looked in to this and it seems that Amazon does not have a complaint process and are not legally required to provide one.  The terms and conditions you agreed to when you opened the account apply.

My great concern is what false information about me are Amazon passing on to other companies?

Has this happened to anyone else?
How do I get out of this nightmare?

History
About a week I was sitting at home when my Amazon Echo automatically factory reset itself.  I thought that was weird, then minutes later I received this email from Amazon;

"Hello,
We have closed this account because you have consistently requested refunds for a large number of your orders. While we expect the occasional problem with an order, we cannot continue to issue refunds   to you at this rate.
We have cancelled any open orders and pending refunds on marketplace orders you had on this account.
Any digital content that you purchased with this account is still available to you. To access the content, click the “Manage Your Content and Devices” link on the "Your Orders" menu on Amazon!co!uk.
If you would like to appeal this decision, please reply to this email to reach an Account Specialist. Our Customer Service team can only confirm that we sent this message and help you with technical issues. They cannot reverse this decision or share more details on this matter.
Sincerely,
Account Specialist
Amazon!co!uk”

This is clearly a false statement, because in the last 2 years I have purchased 68 items and only made 1 return, on 27th November.  This was a for a mistaken purchase for which I accepted an Amazon gift card credit, which took 5 days to arrive.  I did not realise my mistake until I opened the item but I returned the item in immaculate condition, so it could be resold as a return.   Unfortunately, it was an expensive item and there was credit of over £500 on my account.
I tried to login but there was message on screen to say my account had been closed.  I then found that all of my Audible books had been deleted.  So, the statement "Any digital content that you purchased with this account is still available to you." was false.
This is part of the Big Brother issue.  The evidence my Amazon order history shows I have only made 1 return in 2 years.  So, the accusation of multiple returns is patently untrue.
Naturally I emailed an appeal but the email address is a vague catch-all email address ofm@amazon!com.  I explained that this claim of multiple returns was wrong as I had only made 1 return in 2 years.  I asked on what evidence were Amazon making this false accusation.
As I could not login into my account, I could not contact customer support.  On Googling, I found that there is a UK number (020 7084 7911) you can call for customer support and after a lot of messing about you can get to speak to someone but as the email says they cannot help you.
Amazon have no complaints procedure and there is no legal requirement for them to provide one.  I did try once before on another issue but the customer support agent just lied to me.  They said it had to go another department and I would receive an email in 24 hours.
However, in response to my call to customer service I received this email a couple of hours later;

"Hello,
We are writing to you to follow up on the recent correspondence you had with our Customer Service team.
We are contacting you to let you know that you can use the gift card balance in your account to purchase digital items only.
Why we are writing?
We have restricted your account to digital purchases only. We will automatically cancel all non- digital orders placed on Amazon!co!uk and if you have been charged, a refund will be processed.
Why did this happen?
We took this action because our records show that we closed another account of yours for not meeting the terms of our Conditions of Use & Sale. When we close your account for violating the terms of this agreement, you cannot open a new account or use another account to place orders from our store.
You may use your gift card balance to purchase digital content.
To learn more about our policies, go to "Amazon!co!uk Conditions of Use & Sale":
https // :www!amazon!co!uk/help/conditionsofuse
If you would like to appeal this decision, reply to this email to reach an Account Specialist. Our Customer Service team can only confirm that we sent this message and help you with technical issues. They cannot reverse this decision or share more details on this matter.
Account Specialist
Amazon!co!uk"

So as well as making a false accusation of fraud against me, not allowing me to spend my money , Amazon are also denying me any future access to their platform.  Very Big Brother.
On checking I found that I could now login to my Amazon account and access my Audible books but all of my Audible credits had been deleted.
This action was not taken in response to my appeal.  My initial appeal has not been acknowledged or responded to, nor have my daily requests for a response.

I contacted Audible and when the agent spoke to me they said, "your account was closed because of a fraud".  This means the false accusation is permanently marked on my account.  My Audible credits were restored but as last month’s subscription had occurred while my Amazon account was closed I was billed again.  The money was taken off my credit card and not the account credit balance.
To me this is another Big Brother issue.  Amazon can change the use of word to suit themselves.  In terms of access to my account, Audible books count as digital content but the monthly Audible subscription is classed as a non-digital item.
As Audible books are the only digital item that I purchase this means I cannot use my money to buy what I want.

I have also tried emailing jeff@amazon!com but once again had no response.

MSE says I am not allowed to have links in my post so I have changed . to !

Welcome to the forum.

What is demonstrably false is that Amazon are making any allegation of fraud against you.

They believe you have made 'too many returns', a simple commercial decision. It is probable that an error has occurred, maybe Amazon's sophisticated software or perhaps someone has mis-keyed a number into a terminal.

Over the years there have been a few similar occurrences reported here. Typically they start with Amazon blocking a customer suddenly and without warning, then the account fully restored some weeks later, also out of the blue. Usually no explanation given but some token compensation sometimes reported.

You have to bear in mind the enormous size of Amazon's operation. They have millions of customers around the world and process and fulfil millions of orders every day. They do seem to investigate and resolve these blips eventually but their processes once they move beyond their computer algorithms to real people do seem to take time.

You don't live in a dystopian novel. Amazon are not the ultimate arbiter in this country, our legal system is.

You like any other citizen can take mighty Amazon to court. In the Civil law courts, claimant and defendant are equal. If fact, if the judge has had the same experience as you when buying from Amazon, there might be a slight bias in your favour.

eskbanker

Embiber said:

They said I had requested too many returns.  This is demonstrably false.  Over the last 2 years I have purchased 68 items and made 1 return, which was 3 weeks ago.

[...]

"Hello,
We have closed this account because you have consistently requested refunds for a large number of your orders. While we expect the occasional problem with an order, we cannot continue to issue refunds   to you at this rate.

[...]

The evidence my Amazon order history shows I have only made 1 return in 2 years.  So, the accusation of multiple returns is patently untrue.

The Amazon email as quoted makes no specific reference to returns over a two-year period, was your account only opened two years ago or is there a longer history?

visidigi

What was the item you returned and did they confirm what sent back was what they received? e.g. is it possible your return was 'swapped' and therefore the fraud accusation is not based on volume but type/value?

Aylesbury_Duck

Where is the accusation of fraud?

On the face of it, this looks like a straightforward administrative error that has had very unfortunate consequences for you.  Sit tight, stop pestering them and let whatever they're doing play out.  It's only been eight days, and at least two of them were non-working days.  In the new year, if it still hasn't been resolved, you'll need to consider options to recover the credit.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Send them a letter before action to the UK head office address and I'd follow through with small claims for the credit. 

If they were accusing you of returning the wrong item or such there may be a valid reason to make funds inaccessible for a period whilst the matter is decided but keeping the money because they don't want to do business with you any longer is taking the proverbial. 

Allowing the return, refunding you and then denying access to the funds is extremely poor and maybe your thread will deter others from accepting credit for returns  

Embiber

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Where is the accusation of fraud?

On the face of it, this looks like a straightforward administrative error that has had very unfortunate consequences for you.  Sit tight, stop pestering them and let whatever they're doing play out.  It's only been eight days, and at least two of them were non-working days.  In the new year, if it still hasn't been resolved, you'll need to consider options to recover the credit.

Whilst there is no direct allegation of fraud in the emails.  I was quoting the Audible service agent who said, "the account was closed because of a fraud."  To me this is backed up by their draconian actions.

Aylesbury_Duck

Embiber said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Where is the accusation of fraud?

On the face of it, this looks like a straightforward administrative error that has had very unfortunate consequences for you.  Sit tight, stop pestering them and let whatever they're doing play out.  It's only been eight days, and at least two of them were non-working days.  In the new year, if it still hasn't been resolved, you'll need to consider options to recover the credit.

Whilst there is no direct allegation of fraud in the emails.  I was quoting the Audible service agent who said, "the account was closed because of a fraud."  To me this is backed up by their draconian actions.

"...a fraud" isn't necessarily directed at you.  If they suspect any fraudulent behaviour on an account, their actions are likely to be draconian until they've got to the bottom of it.  They're not going to let you access an account or set up another account if your account has been compromised or if they suspect you of incorrect behaviour.

I think you need to exercise some patience.  "Going legal" as someone above has suggested may be a route to a resolution, but it's also perhaps a route to never having an Amazon account again, and it seems you're pretty desperate to retain an account.  If you're not, then sending that letter before action may speed things up.

I don't think you've anything to lose by waiting a couple of weeks to see if this resolves itself.  If it does, you get your account and credit balance back.  If it doesn't, you should step things up but there remains the risk that by doing so you lose access to Amazon for good.

born_again

Any particular reason that the return was processed as a refund to a gift card, rather than a refund to the payment method?

Embiber

eskbanker said:

Embiber said:

They said I had requested too many returns.  This is demonstrably false.  Over the last 2 years I have purchased 68 items and made 1 return, which was 3 weeks ago.

[...]

"Hello,
We have closed this account because you have consistently requested refunds for a large number of your orders. While we expect the occasional problem with an order, we cannot continue to issue refunds   to you at this rate.

[...]

The evidence my Amazon order history shows I have only made 1 return in 2 years.  So, the accusation of multiple returns is patently untrue.

The Amazon email as quoted makes no specific reference to returns over a two-year period, was your account only opened two years ago or is there a longer history?

You are correct, I chose two years because the one and only return I have made recently was in November 2024 and two years seemed be a sensible time period to judge whether or not I had been making excessive return requests.
I opened the account in 2007, My complete history of returns including returns for refunds and returns for replacements is as follows 2007-2012=0. 2013=1, 2014=1, 2015-2017=0, 2018=1, 2019=0, 2020=3, 2021=0, 2022=3, 2023=0, 2024=1. A total of 10 return requests over 18 years

eskbanker

Embiber said:

eskbanker said:

Embiber said:

They said I had requested too many returns.  This is demonstrably false.  Over the last 2 years I have purchased 68 items and made 1 return, which was 3 weeks ago.

[...]

"Hello,
We have closed this account because you have consistently requested refunds for a large number of your orders. While we expect the occasional problem with an order, we cannot continue to issue refunds   to you at this rate.

[...]

The evidence my Amazon order history shows I have only made 1 return in 2 years.  So, the accusation of multiple returns is patently untrue.

The Amazon email as quoted makes no specific reference to returns over a two-year period, was your account only opened two years ago or is there a longer history?

You are correct, I chose two years because the one and only return I have made recently was in November 2024 and two years seemed be a sensible time period to judge whether or not I had been making excessive return requests.
I opened the account in 2007, My complete history of returns including returns for refunds and returns for replacements is as follows 2007-2012=0. 2013=1, 2014=1, 2015-2017=0, 2018=1, 2019=0, 2020=3, 2021=0, 2022=3, 2023=0, 2024=1. A total of 10 return requests over 18 years

Perhaps tipping over into double digits was enough to trigger their action?  No idea how their algorithms will be calibrated, and there's certainly an argument that it should be percentage based, but it does put a different complexion on your insistence that their statement about too many returns was "demonstrably false" and that "the accusation of multiple returns is patently untrue"....