Amazon fined $2.25 million for failing to help identity theft victims

The Verge News

Summary

The FTC fined Amazon $2.25 million for violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act by failing to provide identity theft victims with records of fraudulent transactions.

<figure> <img alt="An illustration of the Amazon logo on a black and orange backdrop." data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Alex Castro / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/acastro_STK103__02.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Federal Trade Commission <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/06/ftc-requires-amazon-pay-225-million-resolve-charges-it-knowingly-violated-fair-credit-reporting-act">fined Amazon $2.25 million</a> to settle claims that the company failed to help customers who fell victim to identity theft, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-30/amazon-to-pay-2-25-million-to-end-us-case-over-id-theft-victims">as reported earlier by <em>Bloomberg</em></a>. In <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/Amazon-Complaint.pdf">its complaint</a>, the FTC accuses Amazon of refusing to provide customers with information about purchases made with fraudulent accounts, in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">As alleged in the filing, identity theft victims who contacted Amazon "would often enter a Kafkaesque sequence" where a support agent wouldn't provide records related to a fraudulent account unless they could name the person who opened it.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In one instance, a victim attem …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/959847/amazon-ftc-identity-theft-fine">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>
Original Article
View Cached Full Text

Cached at: 06/30/26, 09:40 PM

# Amazon fined $2.25 million for failing to help identity theft victims Source: [https://www.theverge.com/tech/959847/amazon-ftc-identity-theft-fine](https://www.theverge.com/tech/959847/amazon-ftc-identity-theft-fine) [Skip to main content](https://www.theverge.com/tech/959847/amazon-ftc-identity-theft-fine#content) Amazon allegedly refused to provide victims with records of fraudulent transactions\. Amazon allegedly refused to provide victims with records of fraudulent transactions\. by Jun 30, 2026, 9:20 PM UTC ![acastro_STK103__02](https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/acastro_STK103__02.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400) ![acastro_STK103__02](https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/acastro_STK103__02.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400) Image: Alex Castro / The Verge [![Emma Roth](https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/author_profile_images/195810/EMMA_ROTH.0.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=96)](https://www.theverge.com/authors/emma-roth) Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more\. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO\. The Federal Trade Commission[fined Amazon $2\.25 million](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/06/ftc-requires-amazon-pay-225-million-resolve-charges-it-knowingly-violated-fair-credit-reporting-act)to settle claims that the company failed to help customers who fell victim to identity theft,[as reported earlier by*Bloomberg*](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-30/amazon-to-pay-2-25-million-to-end-us-case-over-id-theft-victims)\. In[its complaint](https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/Amazon-Complaint.pdf), the FTC accuses Amazon of refusing to provide customers with information about purchases made with fraudulent accounts, in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act \(FCRA\)\. As alleged in the filing, identity theft victims who contacted Amazon “would often enter a Kafkaesque sequence” where a support agent wouldn’t provide records related to a fraudulent account unless they could name the person who opened it\. In one instance, a victim attempted to guess the fraudulent account owner’s name over 30 times, but Amazon allegedly wouldn’t remove the victim’s credit card information from the thief’s account\. The FTC claims Amazon also failed to respond to identity theft victims’ requests for records within the 30 days required by the FCRA\. An Amazon spokesperson tells*Bloomberg*that the company has “resolved this matter with the FTC” and “implemented process improvements for customers who believe they may be victims of identity theft\.” **Follow topics and authors**from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates\. - Emma Roth ## The Verge Daily A free daily digest of the news that matters most\.

Similar Articles