Amazon is suing four companies accused of paying people to produce reviews that appear on its site. It says that the paid reviews are undermining the faith people have in its site. The company is looking for damages from the four sites and is telling them to stop producing the reviews. None of the companies have made a public statement about the allegations.
It is also accusing the companies of trademark infringement as well as violating cybersquatting and consumer protection laws. It says that the companies have been placing the views at a speed chosen to outwit its detection systems. Amazon claims to have proved that its allegations are true by paying a site to produce reviews. It said that the content of the reviews was “glowing” in its praise.
The four companies’ sites are named as buyazonreviews.com, buyamazonreviews.com, bayreviews.net and buyreviewsnow.com. Two of the sites have disappeared from the net since the legal action was taken. Mark Collins, the man behind the Buy Amazon Reviews site argued that his company provided “unbiased and honest” views when talking to The Seattle Times.
The sites pay reviewers between $19-$22. Amazon has been making progress with its Prime Air service.