Amazon Defrauded of Goods Totalling $1.2m

[Glory1]

Just read an interesting piece about a couple who managed to steal goods valued at more than $1.2m (£910,000) from Amazon. Apparently they did this by pretending that the items ordered were damaged in the post.

It said the items were 'gadgets'. Well, Amazon need to take some responsibility for not spotting one couple who ordered items which were repeatedly damaged in the post.

The report doesn't specify over what period of time the fraud took place. But it does make me wonder if because of it's size and number of customers in the US, it is not as sharp as it should be on preventing such monumental fraud from happening. I would certainly become suspicious if a couple consistently reported items being damaged in the post.

I am an Amazon Prime customer since end-October 2013 and became a customer in 2012. Believe it or not I have never had an item damaged in the post.

Admittedly, these days the majority of my orders are delivered by Amazon's own delivery service. But even when Royal Mail is involved I've received my orders damage free. And I order a lot from Amazon; primarily films and TV boxsets but I do order other items such as clothes, curtains, kitchen and cooking utensils, crockery and so on. All have arrived in perfect condition.

I understand goods can get damaged from time to time, either in the post or through the delivery courier. But to the tune of over $1.2m must be a record!

[Cleoriff]

Wow that's a massive con @Glory1. No idea how they got away with it for so long.

Mind you Amazon aren't renowned for their checking systems. They have tightened up a lot with their own delivery service Amazon Logistics but when they use other couriers they take a risk. Limited (if any) signature receipts so tracking and delivery is impossible to prove.

I am an Amazon Prime customer and have received 3 damaged items in the post. On contacting Amazon I was asked to return one. The CS rep told me to keep the other two and they sent replacements out.

Makes you wonder how they are going to manage to pay the massive tax bill they have just been served with! (Not before time I might add)

[Glory1]

Well @Cleoriff even with their own delivery service, Amazon Logistics, they never ask for a signature and only occasionally ask for your name. And there are numerous complaints about Amazon Logistics delivering to the wrong address or not delivering at all. It's happened to me on a few occasions. It's only due to nice neighbours (none of whom I know) and my neighbour on the ground floor of my building that I actually received the orders. If I was unscrupulous I could have denied ever receiving the orders and cancelling. I would have been refunded and received my orders for nothing. However, that's not me.

Like you I've no idea how this couple got away with it for so long. Amazon need to tighten up their checking systems big time. I mean we're not talking about a few hundred dollars here.

I also saw the news about the EU serving Amazon with a massive tax bill. And I agree it's about time. But I expect Amazon will appeal and drag it out for as long as possible. They certainly won't pay without a fight.

[ewanrw]

The BBC article states they "used hundreds of false online identities".

ewan

[viridis]

I reported a £189 faulty drone battery to Amazon,
They sent out another next day.
I contacted them and asked how to return the faulty one
"Dispose of it at nearest battery recycling centre"

I can see how this system can be exploited if lithium batteries can't be returned.

[Glory1]

Thank you @ewanrw that makes sense. Presumably with their false online identities they had non- existent false addresses as well. Or, of course, they could have used PO Box numbers so prevalent in the US.

I'd love to know how Amazon finally caught on and how long this con had been going on for. The sum involved is just unbelievable.

It's not just lithium batteries Amazon don't want returned @viridis. I had a similar response when I was sent the wrong phone case earlier this year. I didn't want another case as the one I'd received was in the wrong packaging (S8 case in S8+ packaging) and I was concerned if I re-ordered the same thing could happen again. So I received a full refund. For all Amazon know, I could have been lying just to get a free case. I wasn't but as they asked me to keep the case how could they possibly know!

As I said they really need to tighten up their checking systems. Who knows how much fraud there is going on that Amazon still don't know about.

It's truly amazing that a company like Amazon could be so stupid.

[jonsie]

You can guarantee that if there is a way to abuse companies and their systems then there is someone only too able to exploit them. But on such a large scale you would expect Amazon to notice no matter how many aliases they used. 

[MercedesS]

And what about Amazon has been ordered to repay €250m = £221m = $293m in back taxes after the European Commission said it had been given an unfair tax deal in Luxembourg?   

 Source BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Amazon investigation

The decision on Amazon follows a three-year-long investigation by the European Commission, which said in 2014 that it had suspicions the arrangement had broken EU rules.

The tax deal between Luxembourg and Amazon was struck in 2003.

The Commission said it had enabled Amazon to shift the "vast majority" of its profits from Amazon EU to Amazon Europe Holding Technologies, which was not subject to tax.

It said this arrangement had "significantly reduced" Amazon's taxable profits.

At the time the deal was struck, Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission's president, was the prime minister of Luxembourg.

Read all here Amazon and Apple caught in latest EU tax crackdown

[Glory1]

The Prime Minister of Luxembourg was the European Commission President when the tax deal between Luxembourg and Amazon was struck in 2003. That alone should have raised suspicions @MercedesS. I suspect he received a nice little kick-back from Amazon for such a sweet deal.

It's long overdue that Amazon started paying tax on the substantial profits they earn in Europe so I'm well pleased they finally got caught. And I feel exactly the same about Apple.

However, let's not all celebrate just yet. Both Amazon and Apple will not give in without a fight. It could be some time before any of the money is actually seen 😞

[MercedesS]

Agree @Glory1   Somedays I just feel like we are on  Game of Thrones