I am an infidividual who has been selling products on Amazon for over ten years. I order products through a drop ship wholesaler. Our wholesale outlet is one of the msot respected in the country and purchases only from verified trademark holders for redistribution. Because of the numbers involved, the manufacturers might not know my name. However, I have an account in good standing with the wholesaler. I list my products on Amazon by means of a data feed directly from the wholesaler. Occasionally a manufacturer/trademark holder may grow concerned about counterfeit products offered on Amazon and submit blanket complaints about every retailer they see on Amazon whose name they do not recognize. When this happens I immediately contact the wholesaler to ask for a letter of verification and an introduction to the manufacturer/trademark holders as proof that I sell products sourced only from the trademark holder - not couterfeits. I also request and receive letters of verification from the manufacturer/trademark holder. Once these documents have been submitted Amazon stopped communicating with me.
After several weeks of sending automated e-mails Amazon suspended my account and held the funds for the sales I had already completed. When I requested the release of the funds, Amazon sent an automated e-mail saying Amazon will not release the funds, they will not provide the reason and will no longer communicate with me. The customer paid me, not Amazon,for the merchandidse I delivered. This money does not belong to Amazon. The maneuver of not transmitting to me the proceeds of my sales does not seem to be even legal. The use of robot e-mail replies on Amazon's part hints to mym mind at fraudulent intent.
I believe this process of (1) Accusing a seller of wrongdoing (2) Ignoring a seller's defense (3) Holding the seller's balance due presumably for be kept as Amazon's personal business property - this process is a generalized fraudulent scheme.