Amazon Seller Support and Fraudulent Customer Return

I am writing to express our serious concern regarding the lack of effective support from Amazon in addressing a fraudulent-return case (MFN ORDER) that we have been dealing with for some time.

This is not the first time we have sought assistance; unfortunately, we have encountered similar cases in the past with little to no resolution from Amazon. Despite following various suggested procedures and receiving different advice from Amazon representatives, the issue remains unresolved. Each interaction seems to provide a different solution, yet none have effectively addressed the core issue.

Here is a summary of the situation:

Fraudulent-Return: A customer returned an old, used, and faulty unit, substituting it for the new unit we originally shipped to them. The returned item’s serial number, ABCDX, does not match the serial number CDEFG that was laser-printed on the device we sent.

Clear Communication: Before the return was initiated, we informed the customer through the return authorization that our products are identified by unique serial numbers, and we specifically noted that they should return unit FGHIJKX. Despite this, the customer falsely packaged the old, faulty unit in the new packaging.

Suspicious Behavior: The customer opened the return case on the same day they received their order. When we requested additional information, the customer did not respond. We provided a prepaid return label as part of the return process.

Customer Admission: After the parcel was delivered back to us, the customer eventually responded but continued to claim that the faulty unit was the one they had received. They later requested that we return the faulty unit so their friend could repair it. We declined this request, as the faulty unit serves as evidence of the fraudulent activity, and the customer already has the brand-new unit we originally sent.

Challenges with Amazon Seller Support: We have reached out to Amazon Seller Support multiple times through the case log, but the responses have been inconsistent and inadequate. We were advised to offer a partial refund, which is inappropriate given the circumstances. The most recent suggestion was to report the issue through the abuse submission form, which unfortunately resulted in an ASIN violation report rather than addressing the fraudulent return.

Our Position: We have refused the refund and closed the return case, clearly informing the customer that this is a case of fraud and deception. The faulty unit will remain in our possession as evidence and will not be returned to the customer.

Our Request: We urgently seek meaningful support from Amazon to address this fraudulent return. It is discouraging to see the lack of countermeasures from Amazon, particularly as small businesses like ours are especially vulnerable to such deceptive practices. Unfortunately, this issue is prevalent in both MFN and FBA returns, as FBA returns are not thoroughly inspected, leading to instant refunds. It appears that this MFN customer assumed the same process would apply to their return.

The FBA system presents a significant loophole for fraudulent returns, bypassing the entire audit process.

We urge Amazon to take this matter seriously and provide a solution that protects sellers from fraudulent returns.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.