Amazon has filed a federal case in the Western District of Washington against peoples for running an unauthorized advertisement scheme. As part of an associate promotion program, the poor actors in question sends text messages and posing as Amazon employees.
Amazon will be able to extend the investigation and keep the wrong people responsible after the lawsuit. This lawsuit is part of Amazon’s ongoing attempts to shield customers from illegal activities that exploit their brand.
Bad actors benefit from these systems by sending out bogus text messaging promotions that direct traffic to marketers and websites. These spoof text messages are intended to persuade naive users to click on a connection by using Amazon’s name and promising “rewards” or other “gifts” to recipients.
Instead, victims are led to a website where they can complete a survey that imitates Amazon’s brand and guarantees a prize if they participate. Participants are directed to internet marketers, advertisements, and directories to purchase goods or services that are unrelated to Amazon until they click on their incentive. The defendants benefit from affiliate marketing networks and advertisers paying them premiums for fraudulently generated traffic.
Amazon spends a lot of money to secure its clients and its name, and it has a track record of spotting and closing down similar operations. Amazon has also filed five cases against fake affiliate marketing programs, secured three court injunctions to prohibit unlawful practices, and reached agreements with seven parties to end their efforts and pay more than $1.5 million in fines.
Kathy Sheehan, VP, Business Conduct & Ethics, of Amazon commented that “Amazon strives hard to provide our buyers and sellers with a positive, trustworthy experience. We would keep these poor actors responsible for misusing our name to mislead the public. We also want to warn customers to be alert and learn how to spot scam signals so that they are safe no matter where they shop”.
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