HELP! Amazon Account Closed/Banned for Reporting Fraud

A couple of days ago I noticed a fraudulent transaction in my bank account using my debit card for $146.12 with the following description "AMZNPRIME DE*HE23I5BK5 Luxembourg LU LUX Card xx[last 4 digits of my debit card] EUR 89.90 Value Date: 10/05/2023. As a side note I already have amazon prime subscription.

I logged into my amazon.au account and contacted live chat who told me to login to amazon.de aka amazon germany. I did this and contacted the amazon germany live chat who asked me to send an email with these details to [email protected].

Within 30 minutes I received an email in German which when Google translated says "canceled your order(s) and closed your customer account. This decision is final and irreversible."

I tried logging into my amazon.au account and was redirected to a form saying my account was on hold and I needed to verify my details and submit a "billing statement". I submitted the statement linked to my savings account as there is no "billing statement for a debit card. Logging in again I receive this message:

More Information Needed
The information you supplied was reviewed by Amazon but we cannot remove the hold on your account at this time. For details, check for an email or text message from Amazon describing next steps. Please contact us for further concerns.

I have not received any new email yet.
I have around $500 in gift card balance on my Amazon account and I a couple of pending orders. I think it's insane that I have been banned for reporting fraud.

Hoping to get some help on:

  • If anyone has a local Amazon contact I can reach out to resolve my information
  • Can anyone tell if this is actually a charge from amazon germany or is potentially a fake charge made to look like it?
  • Should I dispute the fraudulent transaction and cancel my debit card now? I have notified my bank and frozen my debit card but I am worried that disputing/charging back will cause my account to be banned if I get it back later or if they ask for proof I own the card it to not be valid as I have just canceled and replaced it

Thanks in advance!

Update
After more research, I suspect the charge has nothing to do with Amazon or Amazon Germany based on this (https://scamcharge.com/c/lu-lux-amzn-mktp-us-)
Still getting nowhere with Amazon and Consumer Affairs Vic said they couldn't contact Amazon which wasn't helpful.
Planning to dispute the transaction tomorrow and continue to try and get in contact with someone from Amazon with the authority to restore my account.

Related Stores

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Comments

  • +3

    @easternculture

  • Guess - password compromised because you reused your password, and they need to make sure it's you trying to log in and not the scammer.

  • +1

    Call Amazon?

    • I can't. You can only contact them after logging in which I can't do

      • +2

        1800 990 253

  • +2

    Amazon Prime Germany

    EUR 89,90 per year
    To update your preferred card, go to Manage Prime Membership page. Amazon Prime membership fees for customers with a delivery address in Germany or Austria are: EUR 8,99 per month or. EUR 89,90 per year

  • -2

    Not worth the argument using google translator.

    Just open a new account.

    • And have his Prime Video view history reset?

      • Not to mention:

        I have around $500 in gift card balance on my Amazon account and a couple of pending orders.

        • I'd be more upset about Prime Video forgetting what episode of The Marvellous Mrs. Mazel I'm up to.

  • +3

    this is why i never keep a amazon gift card balance

    • +3

      Yeah. If you got banned from a regular shop but had a gift card, you could give it to someone else to use. In this scenario, Amazon steal your money

  • +6

    They didn't close your account because you reported a fraud, they closed it because your account was compromised.

    • Can it be compromised through 2FA? Does this mean its something on Amazon's end?

  • +6

    OP are you sure that charge wasn't for Amazon Prime for Germany or Austria - According to this link "Amazon Prime membership fees for customers with a delivery address in Germany or Austria are: EUR 8,99 per month or EUR 89,90 per year" which coincides with what you were charged.

    Reason I ask is because I something similar happen to me a few months ago.
    My card was charged for Amazon Prime US, I messaged Australian support, they told me the charged occured on Amazon US so I need to contact Amazon US Support and I found out that I had accidentally started an Amazon Prime US trial which carried over to the paid version. I didn't think that was possible as that same account had Amazon Prime (Australia) which I thought applied to all regions, Amazon US Live Support said Amazon Prime doesn't carry over to other regions…. The interesting thing is my Debit Card details carried out which is how they were able to automatically process the Amazon Prime US subscription.

    I swear if you paid for Amazon Prime in Australia then you could access Amazon Prime in US, UK etc without having to pay for another Amazon Prime for that / those regions…

    You may have done something similar to me, in this case viewed something on Amazon DE, added the item to your cart and activated the trial, forgot about it, Prime trial rolled over to paid subscription and yeah. It wouldn't explain why they abruptly terminated your account though.

    I got Amazon US to cancel the Amazon Prime US subscription and refund me

    • This is interesting.

      OP ?

    • Hey, thanks for explaining that. While I can't say it's impossible, I'm 99% certain I have never accessed the Amazon DE and my internet history (which I never clear) shows the first time I accessed the site as May 12.

      Sounds like Amazon US is much more reasonable…

      • +1

        What about those German 'artistic' movies you've been watching?

    • I swear if you paid for Amazon Prime in Australia then you could access Amazon Prime in US, UK etc without having to pay for another Amazon Prime for that / those regions…

      No, Amazon support is correct. If you sign up for Prime in one region, you will get all the Prime benefits offered in that country, you don't get the benefits offered in another region.

      So you will get Prime free shipping on Amazon.com.au if you signed up here but shop at Amazon.com and you won't be eligible, even if shipped to a US address.

      Prime Video is a benefit you get from Amazon AU, and you will still have access to it while overseas, if that's what you're thinking.

  • Maybe ring the US number and ask them for .au contact details? USA: 1-888-280-4331 or [email protected]

    • thanks I'll give that a try

  • I had my original account closed for continually reporting out of date stock and deliveries not actually being delivered.

    They are useless just like their delivery drivers.

  • +1

    I had this happen once. Several transactions out of nowhere from Amazon Japan (which I don't even have an account to). Called up Commbank and they immediately disputed the charges, cancelled my card and credited the charges. By doing this it did not affect my Amazon AU account whatsoever. I'd rather not involve Amazon.

    • Thanks for this tip. Did a bit more digging and I think it may be a fraudulent charge attempting to imitate amazon as to go undetected as per my update

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