Amazon says scammers stole millions through phony product returns
CBSN
Amazon is taking what it calls an international fraud ring to court for allegedly stealing millions of dollars in a scheme that had participants getting refunds for pricey products without sending them back.
A group called REKK openly advertises its refund services on social media sites like Reddit and Discord, and unscrupulous people looking for a free product can pay REKK a fee to obtain a fraudulent refund, according to the complaint filed by Amazon Thursday in filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
REKK and almost 30 people from the U.S. and five other countries are named in the suit, which accuses the group of using "sophisticated methods" to gain unauthorized access into Amazon's internal systems as well as bribing Amazon workers to approve fake refunds for goods such as car tires and MacBook Pro laptops.
The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that the U.S. food supply is still "one of the safest in the world," in the wake of a number of foodborne disease outbreaks affecting items ranging from organic carrots to deli meats to McDonald's Quarter Pounders. E. coli, listeria and other contaminants have sickened thousands of people and forced a number of recalls in recent months.
We just had another election with a clear and verifiable victor, overseen by hundreds of thousands of election officials. Those public servants have suffered years of harassment, and despite their successes, are still being accused of taking part in a massive and impossible conspiracy — a conspiracy led by the party out of power to steal an election and cover up all evidence.
Washington — Former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz is meeting with senators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday as he seeks to shore up support for his nomination for attorney general amid calls for the House Ethics Committee to release a report on allegations he engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.