Amazon probes report that employees sold confidential information, removed bad reviews

Amazon is currently investigating reports that employees have offered to disclose private sales data and remove negative consumer reviews in exchange for a sum of money.

An Amazon spokesman told ABC News on Monday that the company had launched an internal investigation based on a Wall Street Journal report that its employees sold data and accepted bribes. of independent traders.

According to the spokesperson, these practices are contrary to company policy and employees and traders could incur criminal and / or legal sanctions in case of capture.

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"We are conducting a thorough investigation of these allegations," said Amazon. "We impose high ethical standards on our employees and anyone who violates our code faces disciplinary action, including lay-offs and potential legal and penal sanctions."

Some employees have proposed selling confidential data that could give merchants an edge over their competitors, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing unidentified sellers who were offered and buy the data.

Amazon has not indicated the number of employees or traders involved in the survey.

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Citing unnamed sources familiar with the subject, the newspaper said Amazon was investigating "a number" of incidents involving employees in the United States and abroad, suspected of accepting bribes.

The practice is more common in China, where brokers for Amazon employees have offered private information and e-mail addresses to independent merchants in exchange for $ 80 to $ 2,000, according to the WSJ report.

Amazon told ABC News that it has policies and systems in place to protect internal sales data.

"We are putting sophisticated systems in place to restrict and audit access to information," the spokesman said. "We have strict policies and a code of professional and ethical conduct in place for our employees."

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According to a 2015 complaint, Amazon has already sued over 1,000 people who allegedly sold counterfeit product advisories to mislead customers.

Traders trapped by abusing the platform could lose their accounts on the platform and face legal action, the company said on Monday.

"In addition, we have a zero tolerance in case of misuse of our systems," said Amazon spokesman, "and, withhold funds and sue."