Overview

Amazon disclosed that it blocked more than 275 million fraudulent reviews during 2024 and has signed a binding agreement with the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The deal introduces permanent bans for sellers and reviewers who manipulate ratings, and it targets catalogue‑abuse schemes that hijack legitimate reviews. Sellers need to adjust their review‑generation practices immediately to avoid losing access to the marketplace.

Key Points

• 275 million fake reviews removed — Amazon’s internal systems intercepted over a quarter‑billion inauthentic reviews in the calendar year 2024.
• Permanent seller bans — Any seller found soliciting or using fake reviews will be expelled from Amazon for good, replacing the previous practice of temporary suspensions.
• Lifetime reviewer bans – Individuals who post fraudulent reviews will be barred permanently from contributing reviews on any Amazon marketplace.
• Catalogue‑abuse crackdown – Amazon will now enforce strict rules against merging unrelated product listings to inherit existing reviews, a tactic that previously allowed new items to appear with inflated ratings.
• CMA enforcement authority – The agreement is a formal commitment; the CMA can pursue legal action if Amazon fails to meet the stipulated standards.

How the New Enforcement Works

1. Detection and flagging — Amazon’s automated monitoring tools scan new and existing reviews for patterns such as rapid posting bursts, identical language, or reviewer accounts with suspicious activity. Example: a new kitchen gadget receives 50 five‑star reviews within two hours; the system flags the surge for review.
2. Investigation and verification — A compliance team reviews flagged content, cross‑checking reviewer histories and seller communications. If the review is deemed fraudulent, it is removed and the reviewer’s account is marked. Example: the flagged kitchen gadget reviews are traced to a third‑party service that offered “boosted ratings”; the service is identified and the reviews are deleted.