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Amazon review: Amazon Prime=Scam. 37

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1:02 am EDT
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I was looking to purchase three specific items on Amazon, and someone told me about the free shipping with Amazon Prime. I started the trial, thinking that having this service would be worth it to save on shipping and handling. I went back to get the items I wanted, and I was happy to see that the t-shirt I wanted to get was eligible for the Prime free shipping. However, when I put the item into my cart, I was surprised to see that it had gone up by almost 5$ since I had last looked at it a few moments before. I logged off of my Amazon account, and the shirt was again only 10$ (I made sure it was the same seller and the same shirt). I decided to load up my cart with the same 3 items again and compare. Before Amazon Prime when I had to pay shipping, my total was about 45$. WITH Amazon Prime and supposedly "free" shipping my total was well over 50$.
How can they honestly expect people to pay 80$ a year for this service if in the end we are spending more money anyway?

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37 comments
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MiketheVike
Zephyr Cove, US
Sep 18, 2021 6:51 pm EDT

Amazon prime free shipping is not really free... Easy to check something like a bag of tile thin set. I can pick it up a specific brand at Lowes or Home Depot for $30-$32 for 50 Lbs. Same product on Amazon costs $69 with "free shipping". It's very obvious with something heavy that their shipping is not really free it's just built into the inflated price.

I was just shopping for a new DeWalt D24000S tile saw. Amazon $849 + tax and free shipping. Contractor's Direct $749 + tax. Why doesn't Amazon match the Contractor's Direct price and offer free shipping?
Ultimately I bought it from CD because they also offer free shipping. Saved $100. Amazon's free shipping is a total gimmick.

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Nicole Docksey
, US
Mar 02, 2021 1:43 am EST

The same as happened to me. I never signed up and they keep charging my credit card.
I also want to know how we put in a complaint at a higher level?
I will never be buying from them again, that is how we make a stand!

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Kerakha
, SG
Oct 08, 2019 7:43 am EDT

Amazon prime deducted from my bank acount $311 for 8 months fees which without my acknowledgement. I am very disappointing with the amazon. Its scammed.

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tammie.watts
, US
Oct 28, 2019 11:40 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of Kerakha

You don't even have to try the trial Amazon Prime. Amazon starts it for you and charges you recurring monthly payments hoping you will not catch it.
This has now happened to me 4 different times I had to cancel Prime that I never ordered from them. Only to have them cancel it and then start it on another credit card.
Ebay doesn't have this scam. I'm done with Amazon.
Anyone know how to join the class action lawsuit?

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C Back
, GB
Jul 06, 2019 4:56 pm EDT

It's so easy to click the wrong button, and so, inadvertently sign up to prime...
Amazon (cynically) utilise very small print, and positioning on a page to 'hide-in-plain-sight' the selection they want/don't want you to make.
The psychology of this is well understood...And Amazon are MASTERS at it!
That is also the reason that, (if the unintended selection is made by the user)... Amazon will automatically (and instantly) apply the prime membership charge to your account... They won't tell you either! ...They will always leave it for you to find out (the hard way) from bank charges.
An additional (sharp practice) trick they will employ is... If, for any reason, they are unable to make a charge on your CURRENT stored card... They will AUTOMATICALLY (and without warning) apply the charge to ANY card they have shown on your account... Again, they WON'T TELL YOU... They will let you find out from your bank statement. The benefit to Amazon is HUGE. Because, by the time you find out, its too late to do anything about it.
ALWAYS SCOUR, and closely read the checkout page to make ABSOLUTELY SURE that you are clicking on what YOU want...And NOT what Amazon are trying to FOOL YOU TO CLICK!
They fall (just) on the side of 'legal'... But the INTENTION to fool you cannot be discounted.

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tammylhoeflichtemple
, US
Nov 09, 2018 8:25 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have been a prime member for years and if this change with the 2 day shipping continues, my membership will not be renewed! Sooooo disappointed!

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April9598
, US
Sep 22, 2018 6:21 pm EDT

I completely understand your concern with this but like many other people you think that it's 2 days from the time you order that is not the case. It's 2 days from the time it is shipped. If it were 2 days from the time you order it it would be 2 day delivery. Standard delivery is 3-5 business days so no Amazon isn't lying nor scamming you. A lot goes into processing and shipping an item and if people would take the time to read things before they hit that submit button you wouldn't ha be lost like this one!

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Laurie Ziegler
, US
Sep 19, 2018 3:17 pm EDT

Awful! Customer service reps lie. I called the day my orders were suppose to be delivered but showed items hadnt been shipped. Customer service said forsure i would have them by 8pm. Nope. Called at 8:05 and got 2 different excuses (lies). Amazon has went down hill. If you have prime membership for the 2 day guaranteed delivery, its a lie. I ordered stuff Sunday and got Tuesday. 2 orders i ordered friday that were suppose to be here Tuesday havent even been processed or shipped! This is happening alot. So paying for Prime membership is like giving money away. You pay for something you dont get. Closed my prime account. So its really false advertising and customer service reps that lie to customers.

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jdjhjwe
, US
Mar 13, 2018 6:40 pm EDT

I was billed on my credit card for the monthly fee by Amazon Prime, but I didn't have an account. I contacted Amazon and was asked for my account, which I provided, and they advised that I did not have an Amazon Prime account. They then asked for various personal information (ss #, birth day, etc). I hung up, called my credit card company, and had the charges reversed.

The next month another one of my credit cards was billed the monthly fee by Amazon Prime. Again, I did not have an account and so-advised my credit card company. If Amazon is fraudulently charging my credit cards for their Prime account, they may be charging other people. WATCH OUT ! PAY ATTENTION TO UNAUTHORIZED PRIME CHARGES.

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Tammie Braxton
, US
Mar 13, 2018 9:33 am EDT

Second time in a month that I have been charged money for an Amazon Prime account that I did not order. The only thing that I have ordered has been a CBS All Access so I can watch my favorite shows around my crazy schedule. I have been paying for cbs for a few years now and never had this craziness happen before. I called last month to have $100+ added back to my account and then today to have $13.13 added back. This makes absolutely no sense! It is bad enough that Amazon OUT SCOURCES their customer support calls to a country that has accents so thick that you have a hard time understanding what the other person is saying to you...and you can hear an extreme amount of background noise really loud in your ear making understanding this person even harder, but add on top of that the fact that it takes 10 business days to put money back in my account for something that I NEVER ORDERED, when it only took you seconds to remove said monies and it is quite enough to disgust me completely! I will make doubly sure to NEVER use Amazon for anything! EVER!

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greg nedurp
, US
Dec 27, 2017 9:38 am EST

It is a shame amazon is (like so many other big businesses) using big as an excuse for unethical, greedy and illegal business practices. It does not need to be this way - look at all the big businesses that operate with integrity. When is the USA going to start prosecuting these practices ? I will not trust or buy from amazon again.

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Linda Kravatz
, US
Nov 23, 2017 3:28 am EST

I signed up for the Amazon Prime free trial on September 6, 2017. Received an email that my card was charged $99.00 on November 21. I cancelled it on the same day, received an email stating that I would receive a $91.00 refund within 3-5 business days. The next day I receive an email welcoming me to Amazon Prime. I check my account to see that I was charged another $99.00. I was livid. I spoke to a customer service rep who lied and told me that I was charged the second time because the 22nd was my automatic renewal date. I thought it was charged once a year...(mighty convenient), I was told that I am now due 2 refunds. I have disabled all credit card info on my account. Now that I know they are deceptive scammers, do they really refund or is that a lie too?

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Floral2011
Woodland Hills, US
Jan 18, 2017 10:51 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I cancelled my Prime membership and Amazon account today because of a seller selling an item Prime and in stock and was supposed to get the item on Saturday, 1/14/17. I ordered the item, paid for it and got an email confirmation stating the item was guaranteed to arrive on 1/14/17. Then I was sent an email stating the item would be received by me yesterday, 1/17/17. I emailed them back and said it was unacceptable. The Amazon rep wrote me back and said he checked into it and the item had been shipped and I would get it 1/17/17. On Saturday, 1/14/17, I received an email the item had shipped that day. So now, I have a Prime in stock item that should have been received 2 days after order was placed to now extended an additional 3 days. I emailed Amazon asking why I was paying for Prime membership and bought an item from a Prime Seller with it in stock and not shipping in a timely manner, what is the point of paying more for an item (because its Prime) AND still get it if I paid regular price - no response from Amazon. Yesterday, I get an email they attempted delivery on MLK day. I have a P.O. Box that was open all day on MLK day. Now I'm dealing with a fraudulent seller, a lying Amazon employee, a lying delivery person and Amazon could care less and no response. The final result - the fraudulent Prime seller is selling NEW items that have been clearly refurbished - opened the box last night - USED item! Amazon lost a Prime membership and a customer and Amazon could care less!

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CELLondon
, GB
Dec 06, 2016 12:58 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Its a way of making a few £ off of loyal customers... don't sign up...or try not to (if you know what I mean) Amazon does a good service but A. Prime made me feel disappointed and a fool.

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Northsouthgal
, US
Dec 06, 2016 12:21 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Here's my problem with Amazon. My last 3 orders that I've placed on Prime are Prime eligible. My issue was once the order was shipped I received it in 2 days, but it took several days for the order to be processed and shipped. My non-Prime orders that gave an estimate of up to 2 weeks to receive I received quicker than Prime. This is my current complaint, I placed an order on December 1, 2016. I kept checking my account for shipment and noticed my mirror for my car was shipped and the 4 Prime eligible items that had an estimated delivery date of December 6 still hadn't been shipped. By the way December 1 is a Thursday and the order still hadn't been shipped by Tuesday. This also happened with previous orders of a pack of Dvd's and Toner for my printer. Even back a decade ago if we placed an order for Prime even on a Friday we usually had it by Monday. Amazon has stopped processing Prime orders on weekends. Even placing an order on a Thursday it should be there by no later than the following Tuesday. It still hasn't even shipped. It took them on the order for the Dvd's 2 weeks to process shipping. Come on! Prime has become a way to rip people off for products that take forever to receive.

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CELLondon
, GB
Oct 05, 2016 5:14 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

AMAZON PRIME - A way to rip people off and steal money from unsuspecting customers. Read all emails from amazon, I know its a pain as you get so many through a day. But if you don't you have no idea what they have signed you up for and how much money will be 'taken' or rather 'stolen' from your account!

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Steven Palmer
, US
Dec 05, 2015 4:08 pm EST

I am mad, the Amazon card plus it said I can use prime, I guess because we use the Amazon credit card, but then I ordered some computer stuff, from an Amazon warehouse warehouse a few hours South of me, 8 hour drive. I chose 2 day shipping plus weekends ok for deliver (my home). I put both a Box office and my home address so they could not say they didn't know where. I have had an Amazon account for 15 years. Now, after my orders on Dec 1, 2015. I went through all of this follow the packages, now they are stuck in some warehouse 20 minutes form me. it is Dec 5. I call UPS and they tell me I cannot get it until Dec 8. Amazon and UPS make the worst combination possible for ordering stuff. Horrible service, and no way to reason with them! Do not advertise anything you cannot, will deliver on! They didn't even come close to 2 days! Didn't even attempt!

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Cheryl Weiler
, US
Nov 30, 2015 6:31 pm EST

I bought some bike parts on Amazon in August. I was really surprised about a $99 charge on my credit card in November. Yup, you guessed it. They charged me for an "Amazon Prime" membership...really ? I didn't even know what Amazon Prime was, how could I sign up for it! I called Amazon (it wasn't easy to find a number because they've all been discontinued) and got hold of a person, they have a separate line for people complaining about Amazon Prime! Surprise! I was shocked that such a big company would try to scam people, I really thought I must have done something wrong inadvertently. I went to work and told colleagues about the problem and several people had been scammed as well! I won't order from Amazon in the future. I thought my purchase was reasonably secure, but it isn't.

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jimsmart14
, GB
Nov 14, 2015 7:26 am EST

I checked my bank account this morning and noticed 79 pounds direct debit to amazon prime which I did not autherise in fact have not purchased anything from amazon for months so how can they do this to ordinary people? have cancelled account with prime this morning and I hope the will be refunding the money they took illegally from my account will persue this james smart

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Upset by fools
New Hampton, US
Sep 07, 2015 5:48 pm EDT

I order frequently from them, and remember them saying something about videos like Netflix, but never looked into it, and didn't look at Prime anything at all. And haven't ever gotten anything using Prime shipping either.

Today? A holiday no less, find out they have clipped me for 99 dollars, no warning, and damn sure no authorizing the money to be paid to them. Just took if off my number that is used for my purchases.

Got it stopped, but am going to make a formal complaint with Mastercard against them, as well as BBB and the AG of my state too.

Bunch of crooks.

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Nando5944
, US
Aug 03, 2015 6:55 pm EDT

I ordered my wife a $160 Tory Burch purse for her birthday. Amazon shipped us a $20 bottle of automotive sealant. When I called customer service they said they no longer had that item in stock, basically ruining my wife's gift. They're answer was to wait till they could find another purse. It's unbelievable that they could be so uncaring about a situation they caused. Shaylia was about as helpful as a kick to the groin.

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christopher jackson woooyoo
bradford, GB
Jan 19, 2015 2:27 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Disgusted at this blatent rip off, only made a small purchase and was offered next day delivery, which din not happen, then 30 days later they took £79 from our account for membership of amazon prime, no correspondence in between, they are using sly devious methods to use your bank details again and again. DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS GREEDY GLOBAL GIANT WHO RIPP YOU OFF, MY COMPLAINT IS GOING TO THE TOP, BELIEVE ME. I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN DATA PROTECTION AND FINANCE/ CUSTOMER SERVICES AND AMAZON ARE BREAKING THE LAW ! contact me feel free this is just the start, big companies have been brought to justice before, and AMAZON WILL HAVE TO PAY US ALL BACK, Regards Chris Jackson PEOPLES VOICE.

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John Grindon
, US
Aug 10, 2018 11:10 am EDT

The VERY SAME thing happened to me. Keep me in the loop. I finaly figured out why he is the richest person in the world ! Send any info to engraver@telus.net
I smell a lawsuit !

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George2014
, US
Dec 30, 2014 10:26 am EST

Be VERY careful when ordering on Amazon. If the shipping choices indicate "Prime" and you check that choice, you will be automatically entered for a "Free" 30 day trial Prime trial - at the end of that 30 days you will be charged $99.00 every year. I guess that this is Amazon's way of saying "SURPRISE" and "GOTCHA." No notice of the automatic billing, you will discover it the hard way. If you call customer service to get out of Prime, you will speak to a nice person in India who reads a script to you and cannot help you. I asked for a supervisor and kept demanding that my Prime membership be cancelled immediately. The supervisor finally cancelled my Prime membership on the spot.
I used to trust Amazon, but not any more. I wonder how many other surprises they have for their customers.

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RobberPrimeAmazon
, US
Dec 26, 2018 10:24 am EST
Replying to comment of George2014

Crooks - Amazon Prime. Monster with moving heads. You want to chop one off and the other comes up just immediately. Class action needed.

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Scammers107
, GB
Sep 24, 2014 2:11 pm EDT

I think Amazon Prime is a big scam to take £79 from each customer. They can take our money out because they got our card details. No decency to warn customer. I don't know how many customers have been cheated by this ongoing scam.

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Davefs
Wrightwood, US
Jul 25, 2014 7:17 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Couldn't by my daughter a birthday present for tomorrow amazon ripped mi off for 106 dollars with no warning

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Peter40
Gloucester, GB
Jul 07, 2014 8:00 am EDT

Just had to request a refund from Amazon because they enrolled me in a 'free 30 day membership of their video and film club ' without me agreeing, and deducted £79.00 from my bank account without warning.They said I should of read the small print and that by requesting free next day delivery I was agreeing to membership of their video and film club !. I will not use Amazon again as I am fed up with big companies that con and rob people

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Karlan
Versailles, US
Jan 22, 2014 11:40 am EST

I'm wondering if any other Amazon Prime members are "accidentally" charged for videos that are covered under the prime membership. I just finished watching an episode that is covered by prime, then found that I had been charged. When I called customer service, I was told they could make a 1-time exception and refund me. I mentioned that I would remove my 1-click setting to keep it from happening again and she allowed that if we have a credit card on file, there is no 1-click needed for video rentals. She said that "accidentally" hitting the wrong button when watching prime can be easy and you get charged for that. My question: How many consumers is this happening to and how much is Amazon making off of the people who don't keep a close eye on their charges?

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RobberPrimeAmazon
, US
Dec 26, 2018 10:07 am EST
Replying to comment of Karlan

I suppose they do it a lot. Many people don't have time to look into their charges. I thought Discover charged me some kind of interest and paid it to Discover without saying. It appeared to be Amazon Prime's recurring charge on my 2 credit cards for the Prime membership I had never ever applied for. Second: without my permission they reduced the price of my book three times. They are uncontrollable rulers of the world. Unfair business practices of the huge monster corporation. Haven't we seen it before? However, be cautious, if you care about your charges. Check your accounts often for such imposed fraudulent activities. Call your bank and close the wrongfully charged account, reopening it with a new number.

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Been done
, GB
Jan 08, 2014 6:58 pm EST

I've been ripped off for £49. That's the last penny they get from me. May their lives be miserable as sin. You buy in good faith only to be ripped off. I thought this was a free trial according to their info. Good riddance to the yankie way of dealing with good custom. ###s ! Their loss in the long run. I've cancelled all my details and will never deal with them again. I will do all I can to promote this web site company as dodgy and dishonest. This is just the beginning.Happy new rotten year.

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delta765
Denver, US
Feb 07, 2013 5:59 pm EST

I'm very disappointed with Amazon Prime. I have also noticed that Prime-eligible items are more expensive-- it's like the shipping cost is added into the price. Couple that with the $80/year membership, and it sounds like just another scam. I also am very frustrated that for grocery items, only the bulk items are Prime-eligible. I don't want to spend $30 on flour, or $25 on brown sugar. In many ways, the Prime membership is useless to me.

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Pen Guin
, US
Jan 31, 2013 11:25 am EST

I love Amazon and have been a prime member for about 3 yrs. I got a little surprise yesterday when my son, who is not a prime member, had his laptop open next to mine with the exact product displaying with different prices.

We added the item to our carts and he upgraded the shipping to 1-3 expedited shipping. The total cost was 27.97
The exact same item from the same shipper in my cart had 2 day prime shipping with a price of 29.29

I have noticed that the same item from different shipper will have a price difference but the shipping is very different. It take longer for the non-prime item and the price difference has never been enough for me to be concerned about.

But when I saw that a non-prime member, could get the same item I was ordering just as fast and pay less... Well, I was floored. As a prime member in love with Amazon, I feel like I just got cheated on.

I will start doing more compares which will be a pain because you have two accounts and two different PCs.

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Denise Porter
Glasgow, GB
Sep 04, 2012 10:32 pm EDT

Amazon Prime is totally disgrace told me was a free trial and then I check my bank today to see they have took out 49pound this is an absolute disgrace I got no warning as to them taking money out of my account and free trial my ### they bloody charged me for it I will never be using them again totally disgusted!

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jen.baker
, US
Sep 29, 2011 1:23 pm EDT

I have been an amazon customer for almost 2 yrs. I have loved the site, and often order with them. I have three credit cards saved on there, as I usually order for myself, but sometimes order for my mother, well they went to all three credit cards and tried to charge 79.00 for a prime fee? I never agreed to it, nor was 2 out of three cards the primary card. not happy. wouldnt expect this from this site.

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G.Smiley
Lexington, US
Sep 25, 2011 11:51 am EDT

Maybe they do this during the trial period. If that's true, it's not a good way to get people to sign up.

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PinkiPad
Fair haven, US
Sep 25, 2011 2:53 am EDT

I have been a Prime member for several years and this has never, ever happened to me. Are the items you chose eligible for Prime shipping? Not all items are and it clearly states so at the top of the page if you login. Sometimes an item I want isn't eligible but if I search, often finding another seller who is offering Prime shipping