Amazon Payments UK Limited · DRN-6131635

The complaint A company, which I will refer to as G, complains that Amazon Payments UK Limited (APUK) refused to allow it to open (or re-open) a Selling on Amazon account. What happened G’s representative told us: • In August 2023 APUK suspended G’s Selling on Amazon account pending additional identity verification. • Shortly afterwards APUK briefly reactivated the account, and frozen funds became available for payment. • APUK then suspended the account again, and then told G that it could not open a Selling on Amazon account because its registration information could not be verified. • There were various technical problems in submitting registration documents to APUK, including times when the “appeal” or “upload” button on APUK’s website was inactive. APUK gave a very short deadline of 30 days despite these difficulties, and it is not G’s fault that it was unable to meet the deadline. It was procedurally impossible for G to appeal against APUK’s decision. • In any event Amazon US has already verified G’s address. • The effect of APUK’s decision is to exclude G from selling into the UK and EU markets. That is an inconsistent and disproportionate result. APUK told us that G was unsuccessful in completing its Know Your Customer (KYC) process, and so G’s account was suspended. APUK has since decided not to reinstate G’s account. One of our investigators looked at this complaint but did not uphold it. Briefly, he said he was satisfied APUK had acted fairly and in accordance with the relevant terms and conditions. G’s representative did not accept our investigator’s findings, and so the matter was referred to me. What I’ve decided – and why I’ve considered all the available evidence and arguments to decide what’s fair and reasonable in the circumstances of this complaint. I stress that my role here is to consider whether APUK treated G fairly and reasonably. I acknowledge that G also has or had relationships with other members of the Amazon group, but in this complaint I can only look at the actions of APUK.

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I am sorry to further disappoint G’s representative, but there is very little I can add to what our investigator has already said. Authorised Payment Institutions like APUK are strictly regulated, and must take certain actions in order to meet their legal and regulatory obligations. They are also required to carry out ongoing monitoring of new and existing relationships. That sometimes means, as in this case, that they choose to carry out a KYC review. G’s representative has not objected to the KYC review itself, only to the way it has been carried out. To resolve this complaint, he would like a fresh opportunity to complete the review, for me to make various directions as to how that review should be carried out, and to be paid compensation. But I don’t think APUK has done anything wrong, so I am not going to order it to carry out a new KYC review. APUK has provided me with details of its reasons for concluding that G had not met the requirements of its KYC review. The rules of the Financial Ombudsman Service allow us to treat certain evidence in confidence – for example if it contains information about third parties, or security details. In this case I’m satisfied it’s appropriate that this reasoning remain confidential. So I won’t be detailing it in full here. Based on the information I’ve received, I’m satisfied APUK has acted reasonably and in line with the agreement between G and APUK, as well as in line with its legal and regulatory obligations. I think it was fair for APUK to decide that it no longer wanted to offer an account to G (and I note that it was not obliged to offer an account). Overall I haven’t seen that APUK acted in an unfair manner, so I won’t be recommending it takes any action. My final decision My final decision is that I do not uphold this complaint against Amazon Payments UK Limited. Under the rules of the Financial Ombudsman Service, I’m required to ask G to accept or reject my decision before 26 May 2026. Laura Colman Ombudsman

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