Amazon, - and Account Fraud.

I rarely take the time to write reviews, but when a $550 billion corporation reduces customer service to a trial of patience, I feel an obligation to share my experience. Kudos to the customer support representatives—they're navigating a system that seems designed to frustrate rather than assist.? Their hands are obviously tied. ?However, it’s high time we acknowledge that Amazon’s policies are the true issue behind the piss pore customer care/support, or what ever they are calling it now.

Last week, I discovered my Amazon account had been compromised, not what you want to be dealing with at 7pm after a long day at work.? After some peculiar emails raised alarm bells, I reached out to Amazon. I requested that they lock my account until I could speak with someone from their fraud department. “Note on the fraud department latter” Did they follow the request. A day later, they allowed a $1,600 transaction to process. Their only response, “You should call your banks and advise them of the transaction.” Wow that is a novel concept, but wait didn’t I ask you to lock the account before anything was taken, showcasing an astonishing disregard for customer security.

Here are some insights from my journey through this labyrinth of customer service:

1. Fraud Department: Amazon’s “fraud department” may be a myth, akin to unicorns or a government that genuinely cares. Instead, I was directed to Customer Care, which is ironically named, given the evident lack of concern for customer well-being. I was told there is no Fraud department by customer services, to report fraudulent transactions. ?Very confusing because I found this article on Amazons website.? https://trustworthyshopping.aboutamazon.com/meet-the-amazon-team-holding-scammers-accountable.? “Our vision is to build a world where bad actors are not taking advantage of consumers by impersonating trusted brands.” I wonder if the Team holding Scammers accountable know they do not have a department?
2. Empathy and Empowerment: I genuinely sympathize with the representatives on the other end of the line. They are constrained by a system that prioritizes efficiency over efficacy. If Amazon valued their staff, they would empower them to make meaningful changes rather than relegating them to mere note-takers in an endless cycle of frustration.? After navigating an exhaustive series of verification questions—designed to make even the most patient among us question their sanity—I was informed that I had been transferred to the Account Change Department. Jokes on me… this is the same department as customer care. LOL To my dismay, they could not actually make any changes.
3. The Email Abyss: Asking to speak to someone with real authority? Forget it. They don’t take calls; they only communicate via email. “Expect a response in 24-48 hours,” they say, while I wonder if I’ve inadvertently signed up for a course in existential waiting.? I am now going on 140 hours.
4. Supervisory Illusions: When I finally managed to escalate my request to a supervisor, I found them to be little more than a glorified note-taker. The shift supervisors are not able to do anything only take recommendations, and encourage, the client they will be getting an email, or a phone call, depending which one you talk to, with in 24-48 hours. ?Again this is not the supervisors fault, they are only able to do what Amazon has empowered them to do. Absolty Nothing, except get yelled and screamed at because they cannot do anything.
5. The Drop Call Conundrum: I have been disconnected more times than I can count, only to restart the same frustrating dialogue each time. If I was not so mad it would be funny, the staff can’t do anything, myself the customer wants something done, so they go to “Transfer you” no music, just long silence for about 2-4 minutes, and the phone just goes dead. Alost like it accidently got hung up.
6. Account Specialist, Emails Only, Today, a representative / customer care/ account change, I am loosing count, informed me that account specialists strictly handle matters via email only, now, a couple days ago I was told I would be called, It’s a curious policy, it reminds me when I was younger and watching loony toons, and the coyote would buy all this stuff from ACME, but none of it ever really worked.? Was it the bad luck of the coyote of ACME just sucked.
7. Two-Factor Frustration: Should your 2FA, cell number, or email be altered, you’re effectively locked out. Without an old order confirmation number, you are SOL, They are now more worried about my compromised account, and me trying to be the hacker then helping me.? At one point I acutely asked the rep, if I was the hacker would I be calling to lock the account down, and not to issue gift cards on returned items.? I guess I must be a white hat… LOL.

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So, here is a thought: What would it cost a corporation of Amazon’s stature to genuinely empower its staff and invest in customer care? The battle is far from over, and I’ll continue to update you as I navigate this maze.

I encourage others to share their experiences in this saga. Together, we can hold accountable for the level of service it should be providing to both its employees and its customers.

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