Amazon sued two companies on Tuesday, accusing them of helping clients plant fake product reviews on its marketplace.
An employee prepares a package for shipment at the Amazon logistics center.
In a statement announcing the lawsuits, Amazon said the two companies were part of a larger industry that offers money or free products.
Amazon asked a state court judge in Seattle to prohibit AppSally and Rebatest from selling Amazon reviews in the future and to order them to pay damages for violating Washington state's consumer protection law.
AppSally sells fake reviews for as little as $20 and directs its clients to send photos of their products to accompany review-writers' submissions, according to the company.
According to court documents, Rebatest asks review-writers to purchase products on Amazon and later reimburses them via Paypal for leaving favorable reviews.
Forbes asked Rebatest and AppSally if they had anything to say.
Amazon said that defendants are deceiving customers and tarnishing their brand for their own profit.
Amazon does not allow sellers to give money, discounts or other incentives in exchange for product reviews. Amazon has grappled with fake product reviews for years, despite efforts to find and remove them through automated screening and human moderation. Amazon said in Tuesday's lawsuits that sellers may try to place fake reviews to win over prospective customers and to boost their rankings on the store. In recent years, the company has occasionally filed lawsuits against fake review-writers, product sellers and the brokers who connect the two parties. The United Kingdom and Germany had fake review brokers shut down due to legal action.
The FTC brought a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against a company accused of planting fake reviews for its weight-loss products on Amazon. The defendants agreed to a monetary judgement.
The Wall Street Journal reported that fake reviews and inflated ratings are still a problem for Amazon.
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