Amazon has filed suit against the alleged operators of sites
that offer Amazon sellers the ability to purchase fake 4- and 5-star customer
reviews of their products.
The suit, the first of its kind from
the Seattle company, was filed in King County Superior Court against a
California man, Jay Gentile, identified in Amazon’s filings as the
operator of buyazonreviews.com. The site also targets unidentified “John Does”
who operate similar sites: buyamazonreviews.com, bayreviews.net and
buyreviewsnow.com.
case is part of a broader effort
by the company to crack down on fake reviews.
“While small in number, these reviews
threaten to undermine the trust that customers, and the vast majority of
sellers and manufacturers, place in Amazon, thereby tarnishing Amazon’s brand,”
the suit says. “Amazon strictly prohibits any attempt to manipulate customer
reviews and actively polices its website to remove false, misleading, and
inauthentic reviews.
“Despite substantial efforts to stamp
out the practice, an unhealthy ecosystem is developing outside of Amazon to
supply inauthentic reviews,” the suit adds. “Defendants’ businesses consist
entirely of selling such reviews.”
According to the suit, the site operated by Gentile offers to
provide fake “verified reviews” for a premium, telling the sellers that they
can ship empty boxes to reviewers involved in the scheme, to trick Amazon
into thinking that the product had actually been purchased.
The lawsuit explains, “Indeed, one
of the review sites – buyazonreviews.com – even chastised a reviewer for
complaining about not receiving the product, admitting, “All our reviewers know
of the process and I am not sure as to why she sent this to you but I will
ensure it does not happen in the future.’ ”
The suit adds, “Other reviewers had no
such qualms. As promised, reviewers for buyazonreviews.com delivered glowing
five-star reviews (as well as one four-star review as requested by the
customer) on a product they never received.”
It continues …
Similarly,
the defendants at the unambiguously named “buyamazonreviews.com” promise, “You
can have unlimited 4 and 5 star reviews this week.” The defendants operating
“bayreviews.net” use Amazon’s logo to advertise “a unique system that generates
high quality 5 rating reviews to your Kindle eBook.” And the defendants at
“buyreviewsnow.com” claim, “never has it been easier to get multiple 4 and 5
star reviews on your product page.” Defendants are misleading Amazon’s
customers and tarnishing Amazon’s brand for their own profit and the profit of
a handful of dishonest sellers and manufacturers. Amazon is bringing this
action to protect its customers from this misconduct, by stopping Defendants
and disrupting the marketplace in which they participate.
The suit alleges trademark violations,
unfair competition and deceptive acts, among other allegations. Amazon is seeking
damages including restitution, requesting an accounting of the alleged profits
received by Gentile and his colleagues from selling the fake reviews.
GeekWire is attempting to locate
Gentile for comment. Amazon declined to comment, citing a policy against
discussing pending litigation
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