Weymouth Company Sued Over Amazon 'Get Rich Quick Scam'

SEATTLE, WA - Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson last week filed a consumer protection lawsuit against a Massachusetts-based company that allegedly sold faulty advice to consumers about how to "get rich quick" selling products on Amazon. Some of the training packages cost as much as $35,000, Ferguson said, but in some cases left buyers in debt and banned from selling on Amazon.

Ferguson is suing on behalf of "thousands" of Washington residents who bought training packages from FBA Distributors LLC, based in Weymouth, Mass. Ferguson names the managers, brothers Adam and Chris Bowser, as defendants in the suit.

“The defendants promise easy money, but deliver a scam,” Ferguson said in a press release. “I will not tolerate scammers preying on Washingtonians.”

The Bowsers deceive consumers by using multiple Amazon trademarks in their presentations and promotional materials, including the Amazon logo, creating the impression that they and their company are affiliated with or endorsed by Amazon. There is no such connection.

Some consumers told the Attorney General’s Office that a presenter at a seminar talked about a recent meeting between the defendants and upper-level executives of Amazon. The presenter also told consumers that the defendants had agreements directly with Amazon, that Amazon was pleased with the defendants’ operation, and that Amazon was considering contracting with the defendants to sell Amazon-branded merchandise.

The trainings, called "Amazon Wealth Services," promised advertised that participants could earn income between $5,000 and $10,000 per month. At the training seminars - held in Seattle, Tumwater, and Tacoma - attendees were advised to fabricate reviews or pass off refurbished items as new, according to Ferguson. That kind of activity can get a seller kicked off Amazon, according to the company's terms of service.

Amazon allows businesses to sell products on Amazon through its "fulfillment by Amazon" (FBA) program.

Ferguson's lawsuit asks for the Bowsers' companies to be shut down, restitution for victims, and a $2,000 penalty for each violation of Washington's Consumer Protection Act and Business Opportunity Fraud Act.

Image courtesy Washington Attorney General