Marketplace Seller Scams on Amazon
Third-party Amazon marketplace sellers use fake reviews, counterfeit goods, and off-platform payment requests to defraud buyers while exploiting the trust Amazon's brand lends to all listings.
Part of: Marketplace Seller Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Amazon Marketplace allows third-party sellers to list products alongside Amazon's own inventory, and buyers often do not distinguish between the two. Fraudulent third-party sellers exploit the implied trust of the Amazon platform — and the expectation that the A-to-z Guarantee applies to all purchases — to sell counterfeit, inferior, or non-existent goods.
The scale and sophistication of marketplace fraud on Amazon ranges from individual listing scams to coordinated seller networks that inflate fake review scores and cycle through merchant accounts to avoid suspension.
How this scam works on Amazon
Common seller fraud patterns include: listing genuine brand products but shipping cheap counterfeits; using review manipulation (buying fake reviews or hijacking review histories from legitimate product listings) to elevate fraudulent listings; selling items that do not match the listed specification; and requesting that buyers contact them off-platform for a 'better deal' where Amazon's protections do not apply.
Brush scams — where sellers send unrequested cheap items to buyers' addresses and post fake verified purchase reviews under those buyers' names — inflate seller ratings fraudulently. When a buyer searches for the product, the inflated-rating listing appears near the top.
Off-platform communication fraud: a seller contacts a buyer via messaging saying the item is out of stock on Amazon but available directly at a discount, directing the buyer to a third-party site that collects payment without Amazon protection.
Common red flags
- Listing with very high review scores but reviews concentrated within a very short time period
- Product that arrives looking significantly different from the listing images
- Seller who contacts you via Amazon messages to complete the purchase off-platform
- Item with Amazon branding on the listing but a non-Amazon return address
- A high volume of generic five-star reviews with very short, similar text
- Seller account with a very short trading history but a very high volume of reviews
How to protect yourself
- Complete all Amazon purchases through Amazon's checkout — never off-platform via a seller link
- Check the seller name carefully — look for sellers with a verifiable trading history
- Use a browser extension or review analysis tool to identify suspicious review patterns
- Report any seller who contacts you to complete a purchase off Amazon to Amazon customer service
- File an A-to-z Guarantee claim if goods are not as described or do not arrive
How to report it
- Report the seller to Amazon via 'Report Abuse' on the product listing page
- File an A-to-z Guarantee claim through your Amazon order history if goods are problematic
- Report to your national consumer protection authority if the A-to-z claim does not resolve the issue
Frequently asked questions
Does Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee cover all marketplace purchases?
The A-to-z Guarantee applies to most third-party marketplace purchases on Amazon when payment is made through Amazon's checkout. It does not cover transactions completed off-platform via a seller link or direct contact. Always keep transactions within Amazon's system to preserve your protection.