Amazon to take legal action against people writing fake reviews

Amazon is planning to take legal action against people it claims have posted fake reviews on its website.

According to the online retailer, the 1,114 defendants operate by providing glowing reviews of a seller's product, a service it says is provided through Fiverr.com, which is not a defendant in the action.

The company says its reputation is being affected by "false, misleading and inauthentic" paid-for reviews.

The claim states: "While small in number, these reviews can significantly undermine the trust that consumers and the vast majority of sellers and manufacturers place in Amazon, which in turn tarnishes Amazon's brand.

"Amazon is bringing this action to protect its customers from this misconduct, by stopping defendants and uprooting the ecosystem in which they participate."

The defendants' names are currently unknown. Amazon claims they attempt to go undetected by using numerous accounts from unique IP addresses.