March 22, 2005
Amazon participating in scamming
Well, it seems that all Amazon can do is pay lip service to its customers and harbor scammers. In response to my previous emails to them regarding the scams I encountered while researching my purchase of a Canon 350D Digital Rebel XT they wrote me "Strong feedback like yours helps us continue to improve the selection and service we provide." Um...sure it improves the selection because there's a multitude of scammers to choose from. Improve the service? How about improving your customer service by not cutting and pasting crap from form letters into your responses to customers? That's one way you can start. The second way would be to buy my friend Karen Leland's book, Customer Service for Dummies from your own store.
Another quote from their brief response to my email: "Thus, rest assured, we have an investigating team which keeps an eye on such sellers. Whenever we notice such practices, we take appropriate action." What's that appropriate action? There are at least 5-10 scams on any given day for that model of camera ALONE. Since I have only been focusing on the Canon camera, one can only assume that the scams are widespread on Amazon. What's their solution? To cancel the scammer's account. Then the scammers immediately set up a new one and continue without any hiccup--even using the same email address (I've seen this!). What other measures are they taking? Apparently nothing. The tone and message of their emails is "we're doing all that's necessary to protect our customers."
Not nearly enough... So what's the difference between a complacent attitude and outright allowing their faithful customers to be ripped off? Not much in my book.
Posted by severdia at March 22, 2005 1:02 PM
Comments
I had the same problem.
I contacted amazon and they said it is all scam.
I sent him my information and he sent me an email with an amazon letterhead and format in which you could notice some english typos. That made me realize that he had made that email up. In addition, none of the links worked, only the westernunion one in which I had to pay.
Fortunately I did not pay.
Posted by: Corina at April 19, 2005 6:56 PM
Are these "scammers" trying to get people to pay by third party methods like western union. i enquired about a canon digital rebel which had a price to be good to be true. I recieved an e-mail saying that the transaction could not be processed as his credit card was not working proplerly. So he asked me to put the funds into western union. By the way this chap was based in spain. I lucily smelt a rat and decided not to give my details.
Its true I see possible scammers selling cameras worth a grand, for 150 pounds. Yet there is no obvious warning on amazon about this. As I understand it as long as the transaction goes through amazon you are covered, is this true?
I hope everything works out for you. I know that internet scams are on the increase, but I though amazon would of got their act together!!!!
Simon
Posted by: Simon Ward at May 18, 2005 6:50 AM
