Amazon doesn’t publish a neat checklist like “3 strikes and you’re out,” but in practice it needs clear, repeatable evidence that a seller is breaking policies or defrauding customers before suspending or banning them.
What “evidence” looks like to Amazon
Amazon mainly relies on patterns in its own data plus supporting documents:
Customer-side signals
- High rate of A-to-z Guarantee claims, chargebacks, and refunds for non‑receipt, not-as-described, or counterfeit.
- Clusters of negative reviews/feedback all describing the same issue (e.g., fake tracking, empty boxes, expired items, harassment in messages).
- Multiple “Report this seller” / “Report inappropriate messages” submissions tied to the same account.
Performance & behavior metrics
- Order Defect Rate, Valid Tracking Rate, Late Shipment Rate, and Cancellation Rate breaching thresholds for a sustained period.
- Use of obviously fake tracking numbers (non‑existent carriers, reused tracking across many orders, tracking that never scans).
- Abnormal patterns: sudden spike in orders followed by mass non‑shipment, many disputes on a few SKUs, etc.
Document / identity fraud
- Forged or manipulated invoices, IDs, or business documents sent in during verification or appeals.
- Inability to provide verifiable supplier invoices for “inauthentic” claims.
- Mismatched or recycled bank accounts, addresses, or identities connecting multiple bad accounts.
- Policy violations & communication
- Abusive or harassing buyer messages.
- Attempts to get buyers to cancel A‑to‑z claims or change reviews in exchange for compensation.
- Listings of clearly prohibited items, counterfeits, or IP-infringing products.
Once Amazon’s internal systems see enough of these signals, enforcement usually starts with listing removals or warnings, then account suspension, and for clear fraud or repeat offenses, permanent deactivation with funds withheld.
If you’re a buyer, the most impactful things you can do are:
- Always use the A‑to‑z Guarantee if you’re scammed.
- Leave a detailed, factual review.
- Use the “Report” links on the offer page and on any abusive messages.
Those reports feed exactly the evidence Amazon uses to justify suspending a fraudulent seller.