This article is for sellers who have received a suspension notice signed "Account Specialist." We explain how that signature relates to Amazon's official support channels, how to check whether the notice is genuine, how to read its body, which channel to use for what, the steps for requesting reinstatement (an appeal), and the responses you should avoid.
What the "Account Specialist" signature tells you
Even if a notice is signed "Account Specialist," within the scope of our review of the official Seller Central Help pages, we found no page describing a team by that name. This article reflects information as of September 2026. Policies and screens can change, so please check what is currently displayed as well.
What official Help does mention: "Account Health Specialists"
The role that appears in official Help is the "Account Health Specialist," a representative of Account Health Support (アカウント健全性サポート), the support channel for Professional sellers. According to Help, these specialists assist with things like understanding the page and explaining policies, addressing policy violations, and submitting the information needed to reinstate a suspended account. We could not confirm whether they are the same people as those using the signature.
The signature doesn't tell you how serious a notice is or what kind it is
In past notices reposted on the Seller Forums, a final notice about withheld funds was signed "Account Specialist," instructions for the process to request payment of withheld funds were signed "Seller Performance Team Amazon.co.jp," and a notice declining reinstatement was signed simply "Amazon.co.jp." Official Help explains that policy violation notices come from "the relevant team," which suggests notices are sent by whichever team handles the issue in question. Amazon staff have also explained on the forums that, depending on the content and the team involved, Amazon may contact sellers through only one of Performance Notifications or email.
Amazon has not officially stated any link between signatures and severity. What you should look at is the body: the action taken, the reason, what you're being asked to do, and where to submit it.
Checking whether a notice is genuine: before opening, after opening, and before acting
Suspension notices are also a popular theme for spoofed emails (phishing). Check in the following three stages.
Before opening: don't click links in the email
Official Help warns that links in emails can lead to fake websites and recommends going to Seller Central directly to check. Open it from a bookmark or similar.
After opening: compare against the Seller Central screens
| Where to check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Performance (パフォーマンス) > Account Health (アカウント健全性) | Any suspension or risk indicators, violations under Product Policy Compliance (商品規約の遵守), and the "Next steps" column |
| Performance > Performance Notifications (パフォーマンス通知) | Whether the same notice as the email is there, and links such as "View appeal" |
| Notification Center (通知管理センター) | Notifications from the past 30 days, whether delivery succeeded, and where they were sent |
| LINE official account (if linked) | Important notifications such as "Account suspended" |
Even notifications you have muted for email are shown in the Notification Center for 30 days.
Before acting: tell by the information being requested
Amazon states clearly that it will never ask you by email for your bank account information, credit card number, PIN, security code (including under the pretext of an "update"), identity verification details such as your mother's maiden name, or your password. On the other hand, genuine reviews may also ask for identity documents or sourcing records, so before submitting anything, confirm that the destination matches what the screen, or a notice you have confirmed as genuine, specifies.
Amazon.co.jp's Help also lists warning signs such as creating a sense of urgency, asking for personal information by phone or other means, and requesting payment outside Amazon or with gift cards. However, genuine notices may also include deadlines, such as a three-day grace period. Don't dismiss a notice as fake just because it has a deadline; check your screens and respond promptly.
Checkpoints when you're unsure
- Is the same notice on your screens (Performance Notifications, Account Health, Notification Center)? Some genuine notices arrive only by email, so even if it isn't there, don't use the email's links or reply to it; confirm through Account Health Support or Technical Support
- Does it ask you to enter or reply with your password, card number, or bank account information?
- Do the "From," "Reply-To," and "Return-Path" in the header end with one of the legitimate domains listed in Help (@amazon.co.jp, @amazon.com, @amazonsellerservices.com, @sell.amazon.com)?
- Are there grammatical errors or odd typos?
Sender names can be spoofed, so don't conclude a message is genuine based on the domain alone. You can forward suspicious emails as attachments to the reporting address (stop-spoofing@amazon.com) listed on the Help page "How to identify spam emails" (スパムメールの見分け方).
Break the notice body down into four fields
The Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement (the contract between sellers and Amazon) states that when Amazon suspends or terminates an account, it will promptly notify the seller with the reason and any option to appeal (except where doing so could hinder the investigation or prevention of fraud, among other exceptions). So write out the body under the following four fields.
| Field | What to write down | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Action | Suspension of the entire account, risk of suspension (during a grace period), removal of listings, under review, withholding of funds, and so on | Has the account already been suspended, or is this a warning during a grace period? Does it apply to the account or to individual products? |
| 2. Reason | The name of the policy cited, and the conduct or metric in question | Are the affected products, orders, and time period specified? |
| 3. What you're asked to do | The information required, the types of documents, the affected ASINs | Is there a list of affected products at the bottom of the first notice? |
| 4. Where to submit and deadline | The button name or specified address, and the submission deadline | The number of days allowed differs from notice to notice |
Here is an example of the fields filled in (a hypothetical case, not a real one).
Action: Review of the selling account for merchant-fulfilled orders. Listings are temporarily deactivated during the review
Reason: Repeated shipments without tracking information
What you're asked to do: Update tracking information, provide proof of delivery, and explain the logistics issue
Where to submit and deadline: Appeal from the Account Health tab. The deadline is the date stated in the notice
If you can't fill in a field, supplement it with Performance Notifications or "Next steps." How to tell review emails apart may also help.
When the reason is only stated in vague terms
The same agreement lists four situations in which Amazon may suspend or terminate an account immediately: (1) you failed to cure a material breach within 7 days of a notice requesting that you cure it (the period may be shortened or waived where Amazon could be liable to a third party); (2) the account has been, or may be, used for deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity; (3) your use has harmed, or may harm, other sellers, customers, or Amazon's legitimate interests; or (4) your Account Health Rating has fallen below the threshold for suspension. As a rough guide to what to review: for (1), past warnings or notices requesting corrections; for (2) and (3), records of sourcing, listing information, and buyer communications; and for (4), the rating's metrics and your violation history. We can't say for certain which one applies.
Use the right channel: support contacts versus the appeal path
"Talking to a specialist" and "submitting an appeal" are two different things.
| Channel / path | Main role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Appeal on the Account Health page (e.g., "Reactivate your selling account" (出品用アカウントの再開)) | Appealing a suspension and submitting documents | Follow the instructions on this page even if you believe the decision is a mistake |
| Account Health Support (buttons on the same page, such as [Contact us] (お問い合わせ) / [Call me now] (今すぐ電話がほしい)) | Explaining notices and policies, and helping you submit information | Professional sellers only |
| Address stated in the notification email | The destination specified for some reviews | Only when that notice specifies it |
| Technical Support (テクニカルサポート; cases created from "Contact us" in Help) | Inquiries through a case for each issue | If a case for the same issue is already under review, don't create a new one |
| Urgent requests (緊急対応依頼) | Serious issues such as the impact of fraudulent activity | Not a channel for appealing a suspension |
Even though both say "Contact us," the button on the Account Health page and a Technical Support case are separate channels.
How to use Account Health Support, and what Individual sellers can do
Professional sellers can enter a phone number via the button on the Account Health page or in the Seller app, and a specialist will call them. The service is available every day of the year; check the button for hours of availability. Have ready the contents of your four fields, the affected ASINs and order numbers, and what you've already submitted and when, and during the call, write down the guidance you receive and your next tasks. Preparation is covered in Preparing before contacting Account Health Support.
Individual sellers are directed to use Help, Seller University (Amazon出品大学), the Seller Forums, and the Help pages on appeals. Keep Technical Support to one case per issue (Organizing your Technical Support inquiries).
How to request reinstatement (appeal): 5 steps
This is the flow for submitting information in response to a suspension or review. The sample text in STEP 4 corresponds to the hypothetical merchant-fulfilled example above. If your notice gives different instructions, follow those instead.
STEP 1. Confirm the submission path that matches the type of action
| Type of notice | Main path | Timeframe indicated |
|---|---|---|
| Account suspension (policy violations, etc.) | "Account Health" > "Reactivate your selling account" > create > "Submit" | A response to the appeal within about 2 days at most |
| Seller Performance review (identity verification, e.g., triggered by changes to your address or bank account) | Suspension notification alert > "Submit new information" > submit documents | Document review within 2 business days of receipt at most |
| Review of the selling account for merchant-fulfilled orders | Appeal from the Account Health tab, or the address stated in the notification email | Review completed within 30 days |
| Listing removal | Check Product Policy Compliance and Performance Notifications > appeal, or correct the listing | Check what the notice states |
These timeframes are guides for when you'll receive a response or when the review will be done; they don't indicate when, or whether, your account will be reinstated. Identity verification documents are covered in Preparing additional identity verification documents.
STEP 2. Trace back through the facts and identify the root cause
Go back through your sourcing, listing, shipping, and customer service records, and put the events that led to the issue in chronological order. Official Help gives examples of root causes such as unverifiable suppliers and problems with inventory or quality control. Dig down to exactly which check was missing at which stage. If you believe the determination is wrong, gather records to support that in the same way.
STEP 3. Gather evidence for every affected product
Evidence is required for every product and ASIN under review, so cross-check against the list of affected products in the notice. For violations that require invoices, the main requirements stated are as follows.
- Issued within the 365 days before you received the Performance Notification, covering quantities that account for the affected ASINs' sales volume over the past 365 days and your inventory on hand
- Showing product codes and the supplier's contact information, original and unaltered (prices may be redacted, but everything else must be legible), and for transactions that have already shipped. Format: PDF, or JPG, PNG, or GIF
- Quotes and pro forma invoices, invoices you issued yourself, and editable formats such as Excel or Word are not accepted
Amazon may contact your supplier to verify. You're advised to circle or highlight key information in your documents, such as the ASIN, supplier name, and terms of the transaction.
STEP 4. Write and submit your appeal
Official Help advises writing appeals that are clear, concise, fact-based, and specific. Stick to the facts that led to the problem, leave out details of other cases and emotional language, and include the dates actions were taken and supporting documents. The following sample corresponds to the hypothetical example above and is not a real case. Rewrite it to fit your own business's facts.
During the period under review, there were multiple orders that we shipped without registering a tracking number. The cause was that we relied on shipping staff to enter tracking numbers manually and had no procedure for confirming that they were registered before sending the shipping confirmation.
To address this, we verified and re-registered the tracking numbers for the affected orders, and we have attached a list of the orders whose delivery we confirmed through the carrier's records.
To prevent recurrence, since [month/day] we have limited shipping to trackable methods and put in place a procedure in which a second staff member confirms the registration before the shipping confirmation is sent.
For how to structure it, see How to put together a plan of action, and for checks before sending, see Checks before submitting your plan of action.
STEP 5. After submitting, watch for additional requests
After submitting, wait for the email with the result, and if you're asked for more information, submit it from a link such as "View Account Health request." Help for Seller Performance reviews cautions against submitting documents repeatedly before enough time has passed for the review, or repeatedly sending inaccurate documents. For other appeals too, compare the request against what you've already submitted before sending anything again.
Make sure you don't miss a phone call
The Account Health Rating policy notes that when an account becomes subject to suspension, Amazon may provide one-on-one support by phone, and recommends keeping the phone number for Emergency Notifications (緊急通知) in Notification Preferences (通知設定) up to date. However, don't give out your password, card number, or bank account information if asked over the phone. If you're unsure, hang up and contact Amazon yourself using the [Contact us] ([Call me now]) button on the Account Health page.
"Critical" violations come with a three-day grace period
When a "Critical" violation is detected, you're notified on the Account Health page and by email, and your rating turns red with a score of 0. Amazon explains that during the three-day grace period before suspension, a specialist will help you resolve the issue by phone, and if you address the violation correctly within three days, your account won't be suspended and your score will be updated. Check the notice's instructions for what counts as resolved. However, if fraudulent, deceptive, illegal, or similar activity is suspected, the account may be suspended immediately regardless of the score.
If you're covered by Account Health Assurance, contacting Amazon within 72 hours is key
Account Health Assurance (アカウント健全性アシュアランス) covers Professional sellers who have maintained a rating of 250 or higher for at least six months (with no more than 10 days below 250) and have registered a valid emergency contact phone number. Eligible sellers are enrolled automatically and informed by email and on the Account Health page. Amazon explains that if you get in touch within 72 hours of being contacted to resolve an issue, your account won't be suspended while you work with Amazon to resolve it. If you miss the first call, Amazon will call again, and you can also reach out using the "Call me now" button. However, if Amazon determines that you are involved in harmful activity such as fraud, deception, or illegal conduct, your account may be suspended immediately.
Contact setup checklist
- A reachable phone number is registered for Emergency Notifications under Settings (設定) > Notification Preferences
- The receiving address for each notification type is a mailbox you're actually checking
- There are no alerts about delivery errors, such as a full mailbox
- Important LINE notifications are linked by someone with administrator permissions
- You have a process for recording what's said on calls and passing it on to whoever is handling the issue
What not to do
- Opening multiple cases for the same issue: If a case is already under review, don't create a new one; if you have questions about a closed case, reopen it.
- Responding for only some of the affected ASINs: Evidence is required for every product under review.
- Giving explanations that don't match the facts, or submitting altered documents: The Seller Code of Conduct prohibits misleading conduct, including in communications with Amazon, and altered invoices are not accepted. For documents you don't have on hand, ask your supplier whether they can reissue a copy that reflects the actual transaction. Having them create documents that differ from the facts, such as in dates, quantities, or items, is not permitted, just like altering documents. Check the requirements in the notice and in the Help pages on invoices.
- Continuing to sell through another account while suspended: Under the Seller Code of Conduct, you may have only one account per region where you sell, unless you have a legitimate business need for a second account and all of your accounts are in good standing. Having a suspended account means you don't meet this condition, and Amazon staff have also explained that problems with one account can affect all related accounts. Using another account, or creating a new one, to get around a suspension is a policy violation.
Don't keep sending the same content in response to a "final decision" notice
Some notices state, in effect, that following an investigation Amazon will not reinstate the account, will withhold payment of the balance, or may not respond further. Technical Support guidelines also ask sellers not to reopen or create cases about matters Amazon has said it will not take further action on. Check whether there are facts or documents you haven't yet presented, and check the balance under the funds withholding policy (instructions are given for requesting payment once 60 days have passed since the withholding date, but this is handled differently where the activity is determined to be deceptive, fraudulent, or similar). For legal action, consult a lawyer or other professional. See also How to check your funds after a suspension.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I reply directly to a notification email from an "Account Specialist"?
A. Follow the notice's instructions. Appeals are generally submitted from the Account Health page, but some reviews direct you to send documents to an address stated in the notice. An address used in the past may not still be in use.
Q. If my appeal is rejected, should I just resubmit the same content?
A. Compare the reasons in the rejection or request-for-more-information notice against your four fields, fill in the gaps pointed out, such as missing ASINs, invoice requirements (issue date, quantities, format), or a lack of specificity in your root cause or actions, and then submit. You can check why invoices were rejected in Performance Notifications. Avoid resending the same text.
Q. My Account Health Rating was green, but my account was suspended anyway.
A. "Healthy" means your account won't be suspended for violations of the policies covered by the rating. The rating's FAQ explains that an account may be suspended regardless of its score where required by law, where fraudulent, deceptive, illegal, or similar activity is suspected, or where a policy not covered by the rating has been violated. Accounts can also be suspended or deactivated through reviews separate from the rating, such as Seller Performance reviews for identity verification or merchant-fulfillment reviews. Check the Action and Reason fields of the notice and your records for the relevant period.
Q. I missed a notification email. Can I check when it arrived?
A. In the Notification Center, you can check notifications from the past 30 days and where they were sent. Older ones may still be on the Performance Notifications or Account Health pages. Some notices are sent only by email, so also look in your spam and deleted folders and in any other receiving address specified in Notification Preferences, and contact Technical Support if necessary.
Q. The reason for the suspension is vague and I don't accept it. Is there anywhere else I can turn?
A. Under the Act on Improving Transparency and Fairness of Specified Digital Platforms, Amazon Japan G.K., which operates Amazon.co.jp, is designated as a Specified Digital Platform Provider and is required, among other things, to disclose the details of and reasons for refusing to provide services (with exceptions). The Digital Platform Transaction Consultation Desk (for businesses using online malls), commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, helps with communications and provides information about lawyers, but it does not mediate or act as an intermediary. Consult a lawyer or other professional for a legal assessment.
Summary
A signature alone won't tell you how serious a notice is or what kind it is.
- What can be officially confirmed is the "Account Health Specialist" of the support channel for Professional sellers. Judge a notice by its body, not its signature
- Don't click links; log in to Seller Central directly and check the notice against your screens
- Write out the notice under four fields: action, reason, what you're asked to do, and where to submit and deadline
- Distinguish support contacts from the appeal path, and submit your root cause and actions with dates and documents
- Keep your emergency contact and notification recipients up to date so you don't miss a phone call
You can review the overall process in The process from account suspension to requesting reinstatement. If sorting this out on your own is difficult, consider consulting a professional early.
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Further reading
Building an Amazon Plan of Action: root causes, corrective steps and prevention Read article → 
Amazon Seller Agreement and Code of Conduct warnings: identifying conduct deemed a policy violation and corrective steps Read article → 
Contacting Amazon Account Health Support: preparation and questions for the call Read article →