Funds Withheld (£21,536.53) Since October 2025 Due to Never-Ending KYC Verification
Hello Everyone,
I’m opening this discussion because we are currently facing a very serious issue with our seller account.
Amazon has withheld £21,536.53, and we have not received any payout since October 2025. The funds appear to be held due to an ongoing KYC verification process that has still not been completed after several months.
The main problem is that we are not receiving any real updates or requests for additional information. We only keep receiving automatically generated emails stating that the verification process is continuing.
Meanwhile, our business is under significant pressure. We have pending VAT obligations and other payments, but since our funds are being held, we do not currently have enough liquidity to cover these obligations.
We completely understand the importance of compliance checks and KYC verification. However, holding such a significant amount of funds for months without a clear explanation, timeline, or communication is extremely difficult for sellers.
We would greatly appreciate it if Amazon moderators could review this situation, check the status of the KYC verification, and advise what steps we can take to resolve this or when we can expect the funds to be released.
At the moment, it really feels like we are trying to operate under Amazon’s “jungle rules.” 🙂
If other sellers have experienced a similar situation or know how to escalate this type of issue, your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Funds Withheld (£21,536.53) Since October 2025 Due to Never-Ending KYC Verification
Hello Everyone,
I’m opening this discussion because we are currently facing a very serious issue with our seller account.
Amazon has withheld £21,536.53, and we have not received any payout since October 2025. The funds appear to be held due to an ongoing KYC verification process that has still not been completed after several months.
The main problem is that we are not receiving any real updates or requests for additional information. We only keep receiving automatically generated emails stating that the verification process is continuing.
Meanwhile, our business is under significant pressure. We have pending VAT obligations and other payments, but since our funds are being held, we do not currently have enough liquidity to cover these obligations.
We completely understand the importance of compliance checks and KYC verification. However, holding such a significant amount of funds for months without a clear explanation, timeline, or communication is extremely difficult for sellers.
We would greatly appreciate it if Amazon moderators could review this situation, check the status of the KYC verification, and advise what steps we can take to resolve this or when we can expect the funds to be released.
At the moment, it really feels like we are trying to operate under Amazon’s “jungle rules.” 🙂
If other sellers have experienced a similar situation or know how to escalate this type of issue, your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
22 replies
Seller_k2X0L9mVRT0pW
mods won’t see this unless you tag them in by name. It’s not usual to take 6 months for verification- they must have a reason for this- is it due to
Inauthentic claims /not accepting your invoices/Vat problem?
Yujiro_Amazon
Hi @Seller_oJaABY0ScDyik,
Thanks for sharing your post. I can see you received a notification yesterday from the Amazon Payments team confirming they're reviewing your business establishment documentation for KYC verification.
This notification is actually a positive sign that your case is actively being reviewed rather than stuck in an automated loop. The email confirms they'll complete the review as quickly as possible and will contact you if they need additional information.
Since you received this update just yesterday, the verification team is currently working through your documentation. While I know the wait has been frustrating given the funds have been withheld since October, this recent notification suggests movement on your case.
For now, keep an eye on your email and Seller Central notifications. If they need anything else from you, they'll reach out directly. If you don't hear back within the next week or two, you can contact Seller Support through the link they provided to check on the status.
Has anything changed in your Seller Central account since receiving this notification yesterday, or is everything still showing as under review?
Best,
Yujiro
Seller_c40OOAyC1Z1tN
My account was also suspended since October due to KYC with no updates or requests for further information. I contacted my local MP - her office contacted Amazon and Amazon KYC was resolved the next day! I'd suggest it's worth try.
Seller_Y8NlwKvLQDDXX
I had a similar issue, you need to check your notifications and hammer support, there is a direct email too, seller-verification@amazon.com
Manny_Amazon
Hello @Seller_oJaABY0ScDyik,
Thanks for posting here. Please share the case ID that is related to this request, and I will review to see what options exist for escalation.
Regards,
- Manny
Seller_MAFZoVceIqVCn
totally fed up with Amazon and their incompetent stupidity and lack of support despite the fact we pay them very good commission for a service we don't receive.
I appreciate all the legal implications regarding KYC but they need to be competent doing it, not faffing about like amazon is well famed for.
Seller_540F4A6jRtMhU
@Seller_oJaABY0ScDyik I advise you to take legal action as this seems to be an intentional and systematic practice used by Amazon to withhold sellers proceeds for as long as possible under the "KYC" pretext.
There is no reason on earth why a standard KYC review would take 6 months and there's no reason to withhold such large sums for hard-earned seller proceeds.
Legal action is the answer
Seller_OHMxQvBq0kead
I am sorry to hear you are going through this. Holding over £21K for over six months for a "KYC process" without a specific, reasonable explanation and continuous updates on progress is unacceptable and likely exceeds the "proportionate" measures allowed under UK/EU law. At this stage, you should move beyond the standard Seller Central appeals and initiate formal communication. You can do following:
1. Letter Before Action (LBA): Send a formal legal notice (Letter Before Action) to Amazon Payments UK Limited (APUK). This is the FCA-regulated entity responsible for your funds. State that the indefinite withholding of settled funds, where no fraud has been proven, is a breach of contract and the Platform-to-Business (P2B) Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 (retained in UK law).
2. Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS): Since APUK is an FCA-authorised payment institution, they fall under the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman. You can file a complaint for "unreasonable delay" and "unfair treatment." The Ombudsman has the power to order the release of funds plus interest (usually 8% compensatory interest).
3. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Report: While the FCA doesn't resolve individual disputes, you should report this as a "safeguarding failure." Regulated firms are not supposed to use seller funds to bolster their own cash flow or earn interest; those funds must be safeguarded and handled according to strict timelines.
4. Small Claims / Money Claim Online: If the LBA is ignored, many sellers have had success by filing a case via Money Claim Online against Amazon UK Services Ltd. Often, once a legal claim is officially served, the "internal review" suddenly completes. Hope this gets resolved for you quickly.
Seller_EzTyn844NQb7S
Unfortunately, what you’re describing is a sad standard that demonstrates Amazon’s complete lack of professionalism and utter disregard for the sellers who build their marketplace.
These endless KYC verifications, the freezing of significant funds, and the stream of generic, dismissive automated replies are designed to make you feel like you're nobody. It’s a cynical approach that completely ignores your financial obligations, VAT duties, and business survival.
At this point, the most sensible solution is to look for alternatives immediately and treat Amazon only as a side channel for additional income, rather than a primary business foundation. Perhaps one day they will wake up and realize that true partnership isn't about holding sellers hostage. Stay strong!
