How to Protect Your Amazon Seller Account and Listings from Black Hat Attacks

What are black hat attacks?

Black hat attacks are unethical and sometimes illegal tactics that malicious actors use to gain an advantage over their competitors. In the context of Amazon selling, black hat attacks can include things like:

• Hijacking listings
• Filing false infringement reports
• Sabotaging product reviews
• Manipulating search results
• Using counterfeit products

How do innocent sellers get blamed for policy violations?

Black hat sellers can often make it look like innocent sellers are violating Amazon's policies. For example, a black hat seller might hijack a listing and then start selling counterfeit products. If Amazon catches wind of this, they may suspend the listing and the innocent seller's account.

Another way that black hat sellers can blame innocent sellers is by filing false infringement reports. If a black hat seller thinks that your product is infringing on their trademark, they can file a report with Amazon. If Amazon believes the report, they may suspend your listing or even your account.

We have seen many black hat methods, such as ordering and cancelling many orders to make it appear the innocent seller is manipulating sales, ordering then falsely reporting items as defective or counterfeit, placing infringing images on a seller's listing, manipulating reviews or adding false negative reviews to seller's products.

​How to protect your seller account and listings from black hat attacks

​There are a number of things that you can do to protect your seller account and listings from black hat attacks:

• Use Brand Registry. Brand Registry is a free program that Amazon offers to brand owners. It gives you more control over your listings and helps to protect them from hijacking and other forms of abuse.
• Monitor your listings regularly. Check your listings regularly for any changes that you didn't make. If you see any unauthorized changes, report them to Amazon immediately.
• Get reviews from verified buyers. Positive reviews from verified buyers can help to protect your listings from black hat attacks. Black hat sellers are less likely to target listings that have a lot of positive reviews.
• Be careful about who you give access to your seller account. Only give access to your seller account to people who you trust. If you need to give access to someone else, be sure to give them the least amount of access that they need.
• Be aware of current black hat attack tactics. Black hat sellers are constantly coming up with new ways to attack Amazon sellers. It's important to be aware of the latest black hat attack tactics so that you can protect yourself.

​What to do if you've been the victim of a black hat attack

If you've been the victim of a black hat attack, the first thing you should do is contact AMZ Sellers Attorney®.  We can help you to reinstate your listing or deactivated account. You should also collect evidence of the attack, such as screenshots or emails. This evidence can be helpful if you need to appeal a suspension or ban.

Conclusion

Black hat attacks can be a serious problem for Amazon sellers. However, there are a number of things that you can do to protect yourself. By following the tips above, you can help to keep your seller account and listings safe from black hat attacks.  If your account or listing has been deactivated due to a black hat attack, call, chat or submit your inquiry to us for a free consultation.