Is your Amazon account locked? 4 ways to fix it

Whether you’re a customer or a seller, having your Amazon account locked can be quite frustrating. For customers, that means not getting their order from Amazon or being locked out of other services like Fire and Kindle. For sellers it can affect their bottom line as their business cannot operate until the issue is resolved.

If you are looking for a solution to recover your locked Amazon account, you have come to the right place. This post will discuss why your Amazon account is locked and how to solve the problem.

5 reasons why your Amazon account is locked

If you get “Your Amazon account has been locked and orders are on hold,” The first thing you should do is not panic.

Preventing unauthorized transactions and preventing fraud are the main reasons why Amazon locks accounts. Amazon has set up a system to detect some suspicious activity immediately. Here are some reasons why your Amazon Account might be locked:

1. Providing Misinformation to Amazon

Entering fake information is one of the most common reasons why most Amazon accounts are locked. Amazon has multiple ways to verify if you’ve provided the wrong name, shipping address, billing address, and other important information.

2. Unusually high number of orders for a new account

Amazon has an anti-fraud system that detects unusual activity, such as a high volume of orders for new accounts. One way you can avoid activating this safety net is to limit your order volume to 30 orders per day for the first few weeks of activating your account.

3. High profit amount

Another red flag that Amazon tracks from their sellers is the average returns of the products. Buyers usually get free returns, but Amazon has to pay for shipping. So pay attention to the time you return the product and try to minimize those.

4. Gift Card Abnormal Activity

Gift cards are one of the best ways that some stores attract customers. However, Amazon is quite strict when it comes to them and tries to regulate them as much as possible. If you’ve just created an Amazon Prime account, it’s best to avoid buying Gift Cards at least until you have a proven track record on the platform.

5. Use different IP addresses with different locations

When you open your Amazon account in different places and you use different IP addresses, there is a good chance that Amazon will assume your account has been hacked. This scenario is doubly true if the order is placed outside of your usual operating area. Therefore, use caution when sharing your Amazon account with others.

How to troubleshoot your locked Amazon account

Amazon often states why your account is locked. Once you know why they closed your account, the only way to unlock it is to prove that you did nothing wrong.

These steps involve contacting Amazon and uploading relevant documents to prove your case.

1. Contact Amazon via Email

The first thing you should do when your account is locked is to check if you have received any emails from Amazon. If you have received an email from an account specialist, you can reply directly via email.

Make sure you attach the documents and information requested by the account specialist. If you have not received any email regarding this issue, continue with the following steps.

1. Open your favorite browser and go to Amazon Page.
2. On the login page, click Need help?
3. Then click More problems with signing in.

4. Next, select Accounts and sign-in issues. Then click I can’t sign in to my account.
5. Finally, compose an email about the problem you encountered and request a recovery. You’ll get answers from Amazon about the next steps you should take for the day.

2. Contact Amazon via phone call

Call +1 (206) -266-2992; if you are from the US If you live outside of the US, the number you should call is 1-888-230-4331. When the answering machine asks for the type of account you are using, select the second option if you are a Prime Member.

Next, do as your supervisor told you during the verification process. You can also explain your situation and why it was a mistake to lock your account.

In most cases, the custodian or account officer requires the client to provide certain documents or information such as:

• Your Amazon account number.
• Bank statement with the credit or debit card you used to make payments. They may also claim that it has your Billing Address on it.
• Gift vouchers; if this is the issue that caused your account to be locked.
• Proof of your default shipping address such as your electricity or water bill.

3. Contact support via Live Chat

If you want another way to reach Amazon, you can try contacting support via live chat. Here is the proper procedure on how to contact Amazon through this channel:

1. Sign in to your Amazon account. Once logged in, select the Contact Us button.

2. Next, click the Start Chat Now button. From here, you should compose a message stating your problem and when it happened.
3. Amazon will then provide you with an account specialist that will ask for verification details.
4. You can enter the requested information directly. For documents, you can send them as attachments or by email.

5. Once your case has been evaluated and verified, you’ll see your account reinstated in the next few hours to a few days.

4. Upload documents directly to Amazon

Provide the necessary documents proving that your name, shipping address, billing address, etc., are all legal ways for you to unlock your account. Before submitting these documents, make sure that you are using an email account registered by Amazon.

1. Open yours Email by entering your login information.

2. Search Confirmation email of your last order.

3. Click the link to access your account temporarily. It will display important information next to the order details.
4. Open one of the product pages and try to buy it. if you see “Your Amazon account has been locked and orders are on hold,” then you are doing well so far.
5. Choose More documents button.
6. Upload all required documents.

Calling and chatting is the fastest way to reach Amazon because there are customer representatives on the other end of the line. Email is also a good option, although it’s much slower and can take up to two days before you get a reply.

In the meantime, we advise against faxing your concern as there is a chance it may not reach the correct department. Based on the severity of the breach and the channel you used to communicate with Amazon, you can have your account unlocked from a few days to a few weeks.

How to avoid getting locked out of your Amazon account

Here are some best practices to reduce the chance of your account being locked out by Amazon in the future:

1. Avoid using the main service

If you run a dropshipping business, it’s best not to use their Prime service. Amazon is paying for shipping, which means they take it more seriously than their other services.

2. Buy only low cost items

After creating an account, don’t buy expensive things right away. Start with a cheap purchase to minimize your loss if Amazon locks your account and deletes your order.

3. Limit gift card transactions to $200 a day

As mentioned earlier, Amazon doesn’t want too many gift card deals, especially from new accounts. By limiting the number of redeemable gift cards you purchase, you minimize the activation of their anti-fraud detection system.

4. Create a backup account with a VPN

If you are accessing your account outside of your country of origin, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when using your credentials.

Creating multiple accounts also reduces the risk of your business temporarily shutting down if one of them is locked. You should also delete your old account if it’s still locked.

Locked Amazon Account No more

After Amazon restores control of your account, you must comply with the platform’s terms of use. If you are an Amazon seller, you should also explain to your customers the issue with Amazon and assure them that the issue has been resolved.

Finally, double check your payment details, billing address, associated credit cards, etc., to make sure that everything is in order.