Amazon Payments had gotten much stricter of late about using multiple accounts. For several years it’s been an easy way to spend $1,000 per month on your account but some people have scaled that and reported using dozens of accounts. That kind of abuse has poked the bear in the eye.
Several DDF members are now reporting getting shut down. They’re not told why but it seems that logging into multiple accounts from the same IP address as well as sending money back and forth between the same 2 accounts are definite no-nos.
While most people have only had their Amazon Payments accounts closed, a couple people have reported having their Amazon.com account closed as well.
As I’ve said for years, the safest play is for person A to send money to person B, for person B to send to person C and for person C to send back to person A. And they should never login from the same IP address or have the same bank account or credit card info.
Some people have been able to appeal via email and be reinstated by most people have not. Some are reporting that funds were in their Amazon Payments accounts when they were closed. I’m not sure why you would ever have funds in your account and now withdraw it right away to your bank account. However it does seem like by emailing Amazon Payments that you will eventually get through to someone to allow you to withdraw funds.
Play safe out there!
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54 Comments On "Amazon Payments Cracking Down"
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Will it affect my seller account if they close my AP account?
Good morning dan
@Mike:
Most people only lose their AP privileges.
@Yank:
I’m not going to make a post like this based on scattered reports though people that read DDF will know about that.
But now that it seems to be much more widespread I’d be remiss not to cover it.
same computer different browsers=same IP different computer=different IP am i correct
“Some people have been able to appeal via email…”
I’m not sure that there is a point in being reinstated if you plan on using it for the same purpose. Clearly, they are already on to you and it would not be advisable to do it again.
On another note, I just noticed yesterday that my AP account is suspended. I will not appeal because I know better than to use it again…
@meir:
No, all computers in the same house using the same internet source will have the same IP.
@The point?:
They don’t care if you send $1,000 per month as long as you are just doing it on one account.
It’s the multiple accounts that they have an issue with.
If someone was abusing me, I’d eventually shut them down too.
1)Type my IP in your browser to see your IP address #.
2)The computer when connected to only your modem has a different IP than the same computer connected to your router then your modem.
3)On a smart phone: put it into ‘airplane mode’ and then back to change your IP. Do it again and again as desired.
4)Each library, starbucks, etc has its own IP, but it will keep having the same IP as itself. (So keep a list which account was used where.)
5)Your home computer: turning off your modem for 5 min may change the IP. If not, try leaving it off for 8 hours. If not, it can’t be changed easily.
@meir:
You can use LTE or 3G on your phone as an additional IP address. Not only that, from what I recall, every time you turn LTE on/off it generates a brand new IP address. (unlike landline cable which has a fixed IP).
@chana k:
Regarding 3: Just remember that if you are on WiFi that obviously won’t get a new IP 😀
This is the first I’ve even heard about amazon payments. What is it??
If a married couple has 2 accounts one for him and one for her but share the same IP address, would they flag and shut them down?
@Yitz:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/15503
@bigfan:
From now on use different IPs.
Dan
You are wrong that they dont care if you only send $1k a month
I did that with my friend who lives abroad for a fee months, thats the only thing I did with my account, and was shut down, only me not him, strangely enough.
@The point
how do u know this?? great info.
@Yitz:
You mean “what was it”
@Dumb:
If you passes money right back and forth between your accounts then of course you got shut down.
Would it be a problem if I use account A month number 1 with the same IP as account B in month number 2?
In other word is it just for this month transaction or is it forever.(It would be very hard to keep track)
what’s the simple easiest way to change IP address?
I use same desktop pc to send money between, my sister, brothers but we live in different state.
Should I get an IP address change software?
what’s the link and recommendation?
thanks. I tried one which gives me so many options to select IPs of any cities or countries but it expired and i cancelled it when the trial finished
dan, if Amazon Payments take your social security number, don’t they check to see if you have multiple accounts? If so how is it even possible to have more than one account?
You can spoof your IP address online very easily
whats with 2 different smartphone in the same house ?
i have 2 accounts and my brother has 2 accounts we each send 2k a month to each other o the same laptop is this a problem? whats the best safe way to go about it?
A few co-workers and I all use AP on the same static IP (for legit payments). We got shut down without notice. When we called amazon they just said they are looking into it and will contact us by email. This was a few weeks ago and none of us has been emailed yet. And when we call back they say we see that you called before and it is still being looked into, we’ll email you…
If 2 AP accounts use same IP address but do not send to each other is it still an issue?
Ip addresses are based on the location so everybody in that same building that share the same internet connection have the same ip aka public ip to check if your ip has changed go to ipchicken.com and when the public ip has changed you can be assure you have a new identity. Restart your device or modem might not always work so use this site to verify to be safe.
Enjoy
If I’m able to change IP address (thanks Chaya K) but use smartphone for all my accounts, can it be traced to same device or am I good to go?
Dan, What about selecting the cash advance option? I’ve been sending 1k back and forth with my wife for awhile using the same ip, cc and bank info. And Amex didn’t charge cash advance fees.
” sending person A to B & B to C”. What if a and c are the same person just different account ? & will I have a new IP address if I go outside & log into an optimum hotspot ?
If at my company we have a static IP with 20 computers connected to the server, Will they all have same IP?
i wonder if sending smaller, random # amounts (i.e. 556.86) would limit flagging risk.
D@Dan: New idea for ya dan… DANPAYMENTS! .. yes u heard it here first. use your connections, and set up a free payment site 😉
Best IP Address Change Software is: hidemyass.com
You have to pay a monthly or annual fee, but it’s worth it.
@jim:
Software can change your computer’s internal IP, but not your external main IP provided by your ISP which is seen by Amazon.
There is IP masking software, like http://proxybrowsing.com but that alone can trigger an account shutdown, as it looks shady. (And I don’t even know if Amazon will let you do a transaction if you use proxy browsing.)
@jim: Why doesn’t each of you do it from your own computer that is in different states, different IPs?
what happens when you use remote desktop and connect to a different computer. If you use the browser on that computer, will that be a different IP address than your own browser?
As I wrote on DDF I know of at least 6 cases that the main account was also shut because of AP. Be cautios especially if you have ANY accounts you use for business.
What email address have people been getting a response from (eventually)? I’ve been emailing payments-verification@amazon.com,and getting no response.
thx
Here is cheapest permanent solution
https://pogoplug.com/safeplug
Datapoint: I just signed my wife up for Amazon payments from my computer (we have the same address obviously) and I got a message that they could not verify her identity and she must send in a copy of her driver’s license.
@jonr: That’s normal. Just send in a cop of her driver’s license.
Same IP shouldn’t be a problem if you’re only doing A to B and B gives it back via a different channel, correct? Just label it “Rent” and you’re good to go.
@chana k. Thanks, thought it might be related, but glad to know its not!! Didn’t have to do it for my sister when I signed her up, so thought it was odd that it was now required. But maybe that’s because i simultaneously added sister’s bank acct info?
I’ve been sending back and forth from my wife’s to my account for over a year.
I tried to set up a 3rd account from a separate Amazon account in my cat’s name, but I couldn’t get the AP account open after they asked for a SS#. I put in an SS# from a dead relative just to put something in there, but it didn’t work.
So, how on earth do you get a 3rd account if there’s only two of you? I’d like to do it, but if not, I’ll just keep on going back and forth (I’ve been using a proxy server for the past year so we’re not showing the same IP) and enjoy it while it lasts…
hotspotshield – renews and hides ip for free
(pause and resume for new ip)
I presently have more than one AmazonPayments accounts that I access from my home PC. Does anyone know whether using Torguard’s Torrent Proxy service would effectively mask my ISP address from AmazonPayments? Or would it have the opposite effect of flagging my accounts as suspicious because they are never logged in under the same ISP address?
I’m considering signing up for the Torrent Proxy service on Black Friday ($23 year), mainly because of my concern about AmazonPayments.
Any advice would be appreciated. I don’t know very much about what VPN services can really do.
Before Amazon would just disable my AP portion. Now they deleted my account entirely. I guess they got fed up with me sending from same CC to multiple accounts (unique SSN), and withdraw to same bank.
Too Bad that amazon payments don’t count towards the quarterly bonus on the Chase Freedom Credit Card.
I still don’t get what amazon payments is used for.Can someone enlighten me? I don’t understand why you are sending money to different people? Sooo confused!!
Are you making money this way?
IP really?? They have your name and SSN, but they only cotton on to multiple accounts if you repeat IP addresses? Nah
@joe:
People with no matching info besides for using the same IP have been banned.
See the DDF thread and draw your own conclusions.
Wait, I can’t use Amazon payments to get 5% back at Chase Freedom? It worked with Discover.Won’t work with Freedom?
@ShorYoshuvGuy: no
Hey Dan,
I know you are a busy person, but I appreciate you saving me $1000’s of dollars up to date!!! I have recently signed up for the Chase Ink Bold and have been doing the whole Bluebird and Evolve Money thing to add money and pay bills. So far it’s working great!!! I am small time and do not travel very much. I was reading about the Amazon Payments and would like some advice. First, if you think I should stay away please let me know, as I would like to keep my Amazon account. I am wondering a few things. Can I load Amazon Payments with Visa gift cards and pay my wife $1000 per month with the gift cards through Amazon Payments? I will send from a different computer then I receive from. Does she have to have an Amazon account to receive the payment? I would only do $1000 per month, as I do not want to be greedy and get shut down. P.S. If you made a seminar in Baltimore, I would absolutely help you coordinate.
Avi D.