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Return prankster caught scamming Amazon sellers

Posted on by SellerBites

An Amazon seller stumbled across something strange online. At first, it looked like a jokeā€”maybe even harmless.

But the more they watched, the more something felt off. What they found raised serious questions about whoā€™s really paying for viral content.

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An Amazon seller (OP) asked: Is this targeted abuse against small businesses on Amazon?

OP spotted a serial return abuser on Instagramā€”someone proudly posting videos of himself buying and returning heavy Amazon items just for laughs.

But the jokeā€™s on someone else: he appears to be ordering from third-party sellers, not Amazon. Which means a small business is likely eating the return costs for every ā€œbit.ā€

šŸ‘Ž The scam, explained

OP says the guyā€™s been pulling this stunt for months with no ban in sight, probably because Amazon isnā€™t the one losing money.

Hereā€™s how it works: 

  • The scammer orders heavy products with free Prime shipping
  • Films the returns as a prank
  • Sends the items back
  • Repeats the processā€”over and over

If itā€™s FBA, you’d think Amazon would absorb the costs. But nopeā€”sellers still get hit with fees, shipping charges, and restocking pain.

OPā€™s already reported it to [email protected] and is urging other sellers to do the same.

šŸ˜¤ Sellers speak out

As the return prank gains traction, Amazon sellers are sounding the alarmā€”with receipts, frustration, and a few conspiracy theories to boot:

  • Amazon tracks returns… eventually. Some sellers believe the scammer will eventually be banned once his return ratio triggers an internal flag. šŸ§¾ 
  • Donā€™t count on it. One seller reported losing $15,000 in four months to one scammer. Amazon only stepped in after they made noise on seller forums.
  • Sellers still lose. Multiple sellers pointed out that Amazon only reimburses the cost of goodsā€”not the shipping, fees, or taxes.
  • Warn the seller directly. If the order was FBM, several suggested contacting the scammed seller directly to cancel future shipments.

Itā€™s unclear whether Amazon will take action against the scammer, or if the seller will ever recover the losses. But one thingā€™s certain: the community isnā€™t staying silent.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Return abuse doesnā€™t just hurt Amazonā€”it quietly drains third-party sellers.

Behind every viral ā€œprankā€ is a real business stuck with the bill.

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