Amazon Files First-Ever Lawsuit Against Fake Review Websites
SEATTLE, April 9 (UPI) — Amazon.com filed a lawsuit against three websites accused of creating fake reviews for products on the retail giant’s website.
It’s the first suit of its kind from Amazon, which filed paperwork Wednesday in King County, Wash., Superior Court.
It names Jay Gentile, of California, and an unidentified “John Doe” as defendants. The websites named in the lawsuit are buyamazonreviews.com, buyazonreviews.com, bayreviews.net and buyreviewsnow.com.
The sites sell fake reviews of products sold on Amazon.com to companies wishing to improve the ratings of their own products or hurt the ratings of their competitors.
“While small in number, these reviews threaten to undermine the trust that customers, and the vast majority of sellers and manufacturers, place in Amazon, thereby tarnishing Amazon’s brand,” the lawsuit reads.
Mark Collins, the owner of buyamazonreviews.com, told the Seattle Times in an email that the website “is not illegal at all.”
“We are not selling fake reviews. however we do provide unbiased and honest reviews on all the products,” he wrote.
The lawsuit also accuses the websites of trademark infringement, saying the sites uses the Amazon name and logo without permission.
