Trials & Litigation
Amazon sues review-selling websites, alleging fake online reviews
Amazon is suing the operator of two review-selling websites with accusations of running a pipeline of fake online reviews. (Image from Shutterstock)
Amazon is suing the operator of two review-selling websites with accusations of running a pipeline of fake online reviews, according to Law.com.
The complaint, filed in state court in Seattle, alleges that Bangladesh-based Md Alo Hossain and several other defendants used the now‑inactive sites BuyAmzReviewsVotes.com and SellersSoft.com to market bogus “verified purchase” reviews, inflate “helpful” vote bundle, and create fake seller feedback, according to the story.
Customers were encouraged to “vote” on others’ reviews by marking them “helpful,” and each review page displays the number of users who did—a sign, Amazon claims, that the defendants sold in bulk, according to the story.
The lawsuit follows two related legal actions by Amazon last year—one secured an order in the King County Superior Court in Washington to transfer control of dozens of domains used to market five-star reviews and fraudulent seller accounts, and another targeted SkitSolutionBD.com for selling fake “verified reviews,” according to the story.
The new suit alleges that Hossain’s group sold a host of manipulation tools—including paid product reviews and fabricated Q&As to boost listings, using customer accounts that they controlled to buy items, and writing five-star reviews timed to evade detection.
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