When you cannot use your Amazon buyer account: checking the reason for a suspension or temporary suspension and preparing a support inquiry

You try to shop on Amazon and can't log in, you get a notice saying your "account is on hold," or you suddenly can't place orders. This article explains how to tell why your buyer account (the account you use for shopping) isn't working, what to check in each situation, and what to organize before you contact Amazon. We also cover points that sellers who use the same login credentials for their selling account should pay particular attention to.

Figuring out what "can't use it" really means: five situations and your first move

When a buyer account "can't be used," the cause can be anything from a simple typo to a hold or suspension by Amazon, or even a fake notice pretending to be from Amazon. These are very different situations. Because the screens to check and the contact points differ depending on the situation, identifying "which situation am I in right now?" at the outset saves you from reaching out to the wrong place.

This article is based on what we were able to confirm as of September 2026 in Amazon.co.jp Help, the Conditions of Use, and publicly available Seller Central Help. Where we could not find an official statement, we say so. Terms and on-screen labels can change, so please also check the latest information when you go through any procedure.

Situation	Main signs	Where to check first	What to have on hand
1. You can't log in	Your password isn't accepted, the verification code doesn't arrive, or you can't get through two-step verification	The Help page "If you can't log in to your account" (アカウントにログインできない場合) and Password assistance (パスワードアシスタント)	Your registered email address or mobile number, your two-step verification backup method, and government-issued ID
2. Your account is on hold	An email or text message stating, in effect, that your "account is on hold"	The Help page "Restore access to an account on hold" (保留中のアカウントへのアクセスを復活させる) and the form you fill out after signing in	The contents of the notice and the documents the form asks for
3. A request to submit documents	An email asking for additional information, such as for identity verification	The Help page "Request for documents" (書類のご提供依頼), linked from the request email	A copy of your ID, a document proving your current address, and the reference number
4. Possible suspension or closure for a terms violation or similar reason	A message informing you of a suspension or closure, or the account doesn't work and you don't know why	The steps given in the notice, or Contact Us (カスタマーサービスに連絡)	The full text of the notice and notes on how you were using the account just before it stopped working
5. A fake notice	It stresses urgency or asks you to enter login or payment information	Message Center (メッセージセンター) and the Help page "Identifying fraudulent communications" (詐欺目的の連絡を見分ける)	The email or SMS itself, exactly as received (don't open any links)

If your payment method simply isn't being authorized when you order and you haven't received any hold or suspension notice, start by checking the payment method. Help advises you to check your credit limit and whether the cardholder name, card number, expiration date, billing address, and other details registered on Amazon match what the card issuer has on file. Amazon.co.jp can't tell you why a card was declined, so contact your card issuer if needed. If disbursements of your sales proceeds have stopped because your selling account has been suspended, that is a separate procedure from checking the payment method you use for purchases. See How to check your sales proceeds after a suspension.

If you've received a notice: confirm it's really from Amazon

If you receive a message saying your account has been suspended or asking you to update your payment information, confirm that the sender is actually Amazon before doing what it says. The Council of Anti-Phishing Japan (フィッシング対策協議会) has repeatedly warned about phishing that impersonates Amazon (a scheme that lures you to a fake site to steal your information).

How to check whether a message is genuine

• Compare it with Message Center: Emails sent by Amazon.co.jp can be viewed in Message Center. Check whether the same message you received appears there.
• Use Amazon's verification channel: You can have Amazon verify whether a message came from Amazon by submitting it through the dedicated form on the Help page "Identifying fraudulent communications" or by forwarding it to the designated address. The forwarding address may change, so check Help for the latest instructions.
• Open the official app or a bookmark, not a link: The Council advises accessing sites through the official app you normally use or a browser bookmark, rather than through links in emails or text messages.

Even if you can't log in and therefore can't open Message Center, don't touch the links in the message you received. Confirm through the verification channel or Customer Service instead.

Common features of fake messages

The same Help page lists the following red flags for impersonation scams: a sense of urgency, requests for personal information such as your address, payment information, or login credentials, requests to pay outside of Amazon, and requests to pay with gift cards. Another Help page states that Amazon.co.jp will never ask you to disclose your registered password or credit card information, and that the site's URL begins in the form "https://××.amazon.co.jp." However, fake URLs can look very similar, so don't rely on the URL alone; open the site from the official app or a bookmark. Subject lines and tactics change over time, so stay alert even if a message doesn't match the examples.

Where to report the same suspension email when it keeps arriving

Even if emails notifying you of a suspension keep arriving, check each one using the same method. Don't open the links in the email; compare it with Message Center to see whether the same message appears there. Because what is shown as the sender can be spoofed, don't conclude that an email is genuine based only on the sender's name or address.

If you can't tell whether an email is genuine, you can check whether it came from Amazon by submitting it through the verification channel (the dedicated form) mentioned above or by forwarding it to verify@amazon.co.jp. The address for reporting emails you suspect are phishing is stop-spoofing@amazon.com. Either address may change, so check the latest instructions on the Help page "Identifying fraudulent communications" before sending.

Note that for selling accounts, genuine notices may also show a deadline, such as a three-day grace period. Don't conclude that a notice is fake just because it states a deadline; check the Seller Central screens as well.

If you receive an email asking you to update your card or payment information

Even if you receive an email saying, in effect, that your account will be stopped unless you update your card or payment information, don't enter anything through the links in the email. As mentioned above, Help states that Amazon.co.jp will never ask you to disclose your registered credit card information. Amazon also states clearly that it will never ask for your credit card number or security code by email, including under the pretext of an "update."

To check, open Message Center from the official app or a bookmark. If your payment method simply isn't being authorized when you order, then, as mentioned in the previous section, check your registered card details and contact your card issuer if needed. If you entered your card number on the site the link led to, contact your card issuer as described below in "If you entered information on a fake site."

If Seller Central is showing a message asking you to register or update the card for your selling account, that is a separate procedure. We've summarized how to check your registered information in Card-related restrictions on a selling account.

If you entered information on a fake site

If you entered your Amazon email address or password on an outside site claiming to be Amazon, change them by following the instructions in the official Help. If you entered a credit card number, contact your card issuer and follow their instructions. The same Help page also lists places to turn to if the problem isn't resolved: the police consultation line "#9110" and the consumer hotline "188."

What to check and do in each situation

If you simply can't log in and haven't received any notice, go straight to the steps for your situation. If you have received a notice, proceed only after confirming it's genuine.

If you can't log in: check your input and your password

The Help page "If you can't log in to your account" first points to the possibility of a typo or a password that needs to be reset. Before suspecting a suspension or hold, check the following:

• Did you enter your email address in the correct format, and are you using the password registered with that address?
• If you created the account with a mobile number, did you enter the number with the country code?
• Are Caps Lock or Num Lock turned on?
• Have you tried resending the one-time password (verification code), and are you blocking it with spam filter settings or similar?

If you have a device where you're still logged in to the Amazon Shopping app, you can also approve the access request notification from the bell icon in the app (the screen layout may change). If that still doesn't solve it, contact Customer Service.

If you forgot your password, use Password assistance: enter your email address or mobile number, verify with a one-time password, and set a new one. The new password takes effect immediately and applies to all Amazon-related accounts associated with the same email address. Sellers who log in to their selling account with the same email address should confirm after the reset that they can also log in to Seller Central with the new password.

If you can't get through two-step verification (2SV)

Two-step verification is a system that confirms your identity using another method, such as a code sent to your phone, in addition to your password. If verification fails, first try your registered backup method or logging in from a trusted device. If you still can't get in, upload a scan or photo of government-issued ID from the "Two-Step Verification account recovery" (2段階認証アカウントの復元) page. You can't change your settings until the review is complete, which may take one to two days.

After the reset you can log in with your password, but you may be asked to complete additional security steps. The same Help page also states that you need to add a phone number for two-step verification in order to access Seller Central, so sellers should check that login as well. We also cover login checks in What to check when you can't log in, for buyers and sellers.

If you're notified that your "account is on hold"

According to the Help page "Restore access to an account on hold," an account is temporarily placed on hold when unusual payment activity is detected. Amazon describes this as a security measure. While the account is on hold, access to all services, including Amazon Prime, Amazon Music, and Kindle, is suspended, and Amazon sends an email or text message explaining what will happen to orders in progress.

The recovery process described consists of three steps:

1. Confirm that you received an "account is on hold" notice from Amazon (and verify that it's genuine using the methods in the previous section)
2. Sign in to your Amazon account yourself
3. Fill out the form and attach the required documents

Help says the fastest way is for the account holder to sign in and send the information through the secure portal. You can also contact Customer Service for assistance, but the steps you'll go through are the same. Help doesn't list which documents will be requested, so gather them as instructed in the form or notice.

If you suspect a takeover (unauthorized access or use)

If you notice orders or charges you don't recognize, or changes to your registered information, consider the possibility that someone else has logged in to your account. The same applies if you don't recognize the payment activity cited as the reason for a hold. Check the following:

• Reset your password with Password assistance (the change also applies to your selling account and any other accounts associated with the same email address)
• Turn on two-step verification (where to find the setting is explained later) and register both a mobile number and an email address
• Review your order history and other transaction history, and report anything you don't recognize through Contact Us
• If your login credentials are shared with your selling account, also check Seller Central for changes to your email address settings, payment information, user permissions, and listings, and report to Technical Support if necessary

We cover how to check when you suspect a takeover on the selling account (Seller Central) side under "You suspect account takeover or phishing" in Steps to check a Seller Central authorization error.

If you're asked to submit identity documents

The Help page "Request for documents" explains that additional information may be needed to verify identity and to comply with laws governing commercial transactions. This page, linked from the request email, tells individuals to send the following:

• Your address (including street number and building name)
• A copy of a valid passport or other government-issued ID
• If the address on the document isn't current, something that proves your current address, such as a recent utility bill
• The email address registered to the account and the reference number shown in the request email

Fax is the method given for sending the documents, but the destination may change, so check the latest information on the Help page linked from the request email before sending. The same Help page also notes that you may not be able to access your account until verification is complete, and gives a contact point in case you can't find the request email. Note that these are the items listed on the "Request for documents" page; the form for lifting a hold won't necessarily ask for the same things.

If your account may have been suspended or closed for a terms violation or similar reason

The "Your Account" section of the Amazon.co.jp Conditions of Use (version updated September 1, 2025) states that if there is a violation of the terms, illegal activity, or fraudulent activity, or if other inappropriate conduct is reasonably suspected, Amazon reserves the right, at its discretion and without notice, to refuse service, suspend accounts, cancel orders, and so on.

For buyer accounts, we could not find in public Help an appeal process like the one available for selling accounts (see the comparison table later in this article). If the notice describes steps, follow them; if not, reach out through Contact Us. The Conditions of Use also specify the governing law and the court with jurisdiction, so if you're considering legal action, consult an attorney.

If the notice doesn't give a specific reason, first check whether any of the "conduct that tends to cause problems" in the next section applies to you, then ask the contact point about the following:

Conduct on the buying side that tends to cause problems: what sellers often overlook

Because sellers also use their buyer accounts for sourcing inventory and checking their own products, they can run afoul of the terms in ways ordinary shoppers don't. Here is a summary of conduct that official Help and terms describe as potentially leading to suspension or other measures.

Conduct	What the official materials say	Measures listed
Paying for inventory with an Amazon gift card balance	Use for unauthorized commercial purposes (e.g., procuring inventory) is prohibited. Gift cards can't be used for purchases intended for resale or export	Suspension of gift card registration and use, cancellation of the balance, account closure, etc.
Buying discounted gift cards from unofficial stores or sites, converting them to cash, or transferring them to other accounts	Purchases from unauthorized sellers or sites, exchanges for cash or the like, and transfers to other accounts after registration are prohibited	Same as above
Posting reviews of your own or competitors' products, or asking family or friends to do so	Reviews of your own products, competitors' products, or products from sellers you have a personal connection with, reviews in exchange for compensation, posts from multiple accounts, and coordinated posts are prohibited	Removal of content, restrictions on using community features, suspension or termination of the account, and withholding of payments
Responding to offers like "get paid to make purchases for others" and buying with a card you're told to use	The card you're told to use may have been obtained fraudulently	Suspension of the buyer's account. You may also face legal liability

The Amazon Gift Card Terms and Conditions (last updated March 28, 2025) likewise state that if there is a violation of those terms or other rules, illegal activity, or fraudulent activity, or if other inappropriate conduct is reasonably suspected, Amazon reserves the right, without notice, to cancel gift cards (including balances) without refund and to terminate or suspend accounts. We cover how to think about where gift cards come from in How the source of gift cards relates to account restrictions, and how reviews are handled in What to review after receiving a product review warning.

What about "buying for resale" or "making lots of returns"?

• Buying for resale: It's stated explicitly that gift cards can't be used to pay for purchases intended for resale or export. On the other hand, we couldn't find any provision in the buyer-facing terms that directly addresses whether you may buy inventory with ordinary payment methods such as a credit card (the phrase "non-commercial and personal" in the Conditions of Use relates to the license to use services and content). Since it can't be said to be either prohibited across the board or entirely unproblematic, check the purchase conditions on the product page and any notices you receive on a case-by-case basis.
• Lots of returns or cancellations: Neither the return policy nor the Conditions of Use lists the number of returns as a reason for suspension. However, the Conditions of Use do contain general provisions covering fraudulent activity and situations where inappropriate conduct is reasonably suspected, so the possibility that your usage patterns could come under review can't be ruled out.

For what to check about notices related to returns, see What to check before making repeated returns, and for notices of order-related violations, see Checking and inquiring about order violations on a buyer account.

Impact sellers should know about: when your buyer and selling accounts are linked

Amazon's official selling site explains that you can start selling using your shopping account, or you can create a new selling account with a business email address. In the former case, your buyer and selling accounts may share the same sign-in credentials.

What happens when login credentials are shared

• A password reset extends to all Amazon-related accounts associated with the same email address (as noted above)
• Two-step verification is tied to your Amazon account sign-in, and if you use the same sign-in credentials, it protects both your buyer and selling accounts (per Seller Central Help)
• If you close your buyer account yourself, related accounts on Amazon sites worldwide are affected too, and you lose access to data associated with selling and Seller Central, Amazon Pay, your gift card balance, and more. A closed account can't be restored

That said, there is no official statement explicitly saying that "if your buyer account is put on hold or suspended, your selling account will be suspended too." However, if you use the same login credentials, things like logging in to Seller Central could be affected. If you run into trouble with your buyer account, also check early on whether you can log in to Seller Central and whether there are any new notifications on the Account Health (アカウント健全性) page. We've summarized what to check before closing an account yourself in What to confirm before closing your buyer account.

Buyer and selling accounts follow different procedures when suspended

Selling accounts are governed by the Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement (BSA, the contract between sellers and Amazon), so suspensions are handled differently than for buyer accounts.

Item	Buyer account	Selling account
Notice of the reason for suspension	We couldn't find a corresponding provision in the Conditions of Use	The BSA provides that you'll be notified of the reason and your options for appeal (with exceptions, such as when doing so would hinder an investigation)
Where to go	The steps given in the notice, the form after signing in (for holds), or Contact Us	"Reactivate your selling account" (出品用アカウントの再開) at the top of the Account Health page in Seller Central
Expected response time	Not stated in public Help	Up to about 2 days for a response to an appeal
Number of accounts	We couldn't find a limit on the number in the Conditions of Use. However, creating another account to keep shopping while your account is suspended or on hold may be judged a violation of the terms	One per region you sell in, unless you have a legitimate business reason or similar

If your selling account has also been suspended, you'll need to go through Seller Central's procedures separately from those for your buyer account. For an overview, see The full picture, from account suspension to a reinstatement request.

Preparing to contact Amazon: a fact sheet and choosing the right contact point

Organizing the facts before you reach out makes your explanation shorter and more accurate. Keeping your own records matters too. According to the Help page "Customer Service history" (カスタマーサービス履歴), previous chat conversations are shown only while the chat session is active, and email and phone history doesn't appear in the chat history (to see your full history, use Request My Data (マイデータをリクエストする)).

STEP 1. Create a fact sheet

For changes just before the problem, list only dates and facts, such as "Registered a new card on [month]/[day]," rather than reasons you've guessed, and leave it to Amazon to determine the cause.

STEP 2. Choose the contact point that fits your situation

Situation	Contact point or screen to use	Notes
You've received an "account is on hold" notice	Sign in yourself and submit through the form that appears	The steps are the same even if you go through Customer Service
You've received an email asking you to submit documents	The Help page "Request for documents," linked from the request email	Check the latest Help for how and where to send them
You can't log in because of your password or two-step verification	Password assistance, "Two-Step Verification account recovery"	If that doesn't resolve it, go to Customer Service
The account doesn't work and you don't know why, or you've been notified of a suspension	Contact Us	Written inquiries by mail are not accepted
There are charges you don't recognize	Start with your order history and other transaction history	Examples of causes include Prime membership fees, temporary card authorizations that still show after a cancellation, use by family members, charges when a pre-ordered item ships, and orders placed from another account. If none of these apply, also suspect a takeover
You can't get into Seller Central either	Seller Central contact points (such as Technical Support)	If you suspect unauthorized access, also go through the takeover checklist above

For how to prepare when contacting Amazon about your selling account, see What to tell Technical Support and how to keep records.

STEP 3. Communicate only the facts, concisely

There are no official guidelines for writing inquiries about buyer accounts, so we use Seller Central Help's guidance for sellers on writing appeals as a reference. It recommends giving a clear, concise, fact-based explanation, not mixing in other questions or information about ongoing cases, avoiding emotional language, and including dates and documents.

Below is a sample message for a scenario in which you've received a hold notice, submitted the form, and are now contacting Customer Service to check on the status. This is a hypothetical example, not a real case, so fill in the bracketed parts from the notice and your own records. Only mention a recent change if one comes to mind; if not, simply write "There have been no other changes to my registered information or login activity that I'm aware of."

I received an email on (date received) stating that my buyer account is on hold. The email address registered to the account is (registered address), and the reference number is (the number, if one is given in the notice).
On (date), I (the recent change, e.g., added a new credit card as a payment method and placed (number) orders with that card). There have been no other changes to my registered information or login activity that I'm aware of.
On (date), I filled out the form, attached (type of documents attached), and submitted it. Please let me know if any additional information is needed, or if there is a way for me to check the status of the review.

Handle only one issue per inquiry, and don't mix in other topics, such as questions about your selling account.

STEP 4. Keep a record of your communications

• The date and time, the channel (chat, phone, or email), and a summary of what the representative told you
• Any documents or actions requested, and their deadlines
• The date and time you submitted, and what you submitted (save a copy before sending)
• Whether the next step is to wait to hear back or to take action yourself

What not to do

Acting in a panic in any of the following ways can make things worse.

• Creating a new account to get around a suspension: The Conditions of Use allow Amazon, at its discretion, to refuse service or suspend accounts when there is a violation of the terms or when inappropriate conduct is reasonably suspected. In addition, the section on reviews and other content prohibits using a false email address and impersonating others. Creating a new account to get around a suspension may be judged a violation of the terms, so don't do it.
• Altering ID documents or submitting someone else's: This misrepresents your identity. Besides potentially being judged a violation of the terms, it could also create legal problems. Don't do it. If you're missing documents, obtain them through legitimate means, for example by adding a document that proves your address as instructed.
• Rushing to log in through a link in a notice and entering information: If the notice is fake, you'll be handing over your login or card information. Even if you're asked to pay with gift cards or outside of Amazon, don't comply.
• Closing your buyer account yourself to start over: As mentioned above, this may also affect your selling data.
• Submitting the back of your My Number Card or an image showing information that should be hidden: Make absolutely sure not to submit, or to hide, sensitive information such as your Individual Number and account numbers, as the official guidance instructs.
• Repeating the same inquiry through different channels and changing your explanation: If your explanations don't match, the review may take longer.

Preparing before anything stops working: security and saving purchase records

While an account is on hold, access to all Amazon services is suspended. Help also states that if you close your account yourself, you'll no longer be able to view your order history or print invoices and receipts. If your account becomes unusable because of action taken by Amazon, you may similarly be unable to retrieve your records, so prepare ahead of time.

Settings that protect your account

• Sign in with a passkey (face recognition, fingerprint, or device PIN)
• Turn on two-step verification. To set it up, go to Your Account (アカウントサービス) → Login & security (ログインとセキュリティ) and select "Edit" next to "Two-Step Verification (2SV) Settings" (2段階認証 (2SV)の設定)
• Register both a mobile number and an email address (accounts with only an email address are more vulnerable to attack)
• Don't use "Switch Accounts" (アカウントの切り替え), which lets you move between multiple accounts, on shared devices or computers

Sellers should back up their purchase records

Sellers who use their buyer account for sourcing should regularly save receipts and order details. Seller Central Help states that for some products, an appeal for a selling account may require invoices covering the past 365 days. Official Help doesn't say whether receipts from purchases on Amazon are accepted as proof of sourcing, but if your buyer account becomes unusable, you may not be able to retrieve those receipts at all.

Frequently asked questions

Q. How long does it take for an "account on hold" to be lifted?

A. Official Help doesn't give an estimate of how long it takes. Submit everything the form asks for without errors or omissions, and check frequently for any additional requests.

Q. While my account is on hold or suspended, what happens to my orders and refunds, my Prime membership and Kindle, and my gift card balance?

A. During a "hold" placed because of payment activity, all services, including Prime and Kindle, stop, and Amazon tells you by email or text message how orders in progress will be handled. On the other hand, official Help doesn't explain whether digital content you've already purchased, gift card balances, or points can be used while use of your account is restricted. When you receive a notice of a suspension or restriction, copy down exactly what it says, and for anything it doesn't cover, go through the "Questions to ask when confirming the reason for a suspension" listed above and confirm in your inquiry how orders in progress and your gift card balance will be handled (including whether there will be a refund). If your balance has been voided, see the frequently asked questions in How the source of gift cards relates to account restrictions; for unshipped orders when your selling account has also been suspended, see "What stops and what obligations remain" in The full picture, from account suspension to a reinstatement request.

Q. Will Amazon tell me the specific reason for a suspension?

A. For buyer accounts, we couldn't find any provision in the terms that commits Amazon to notifying you of the reason. When you inquire, go through the "Questions to ask when confirming the reason for a suspension" listed above, and keep a record of the explanation you receive.

Q. If my buyer account is stopped, will my selling account be stopped too?

A. There is no official statement explicitly saying that the two are directly linked. However, if your login credentials are shared, logging in to Seller Central could be affected through your password or two-step verification.

Q. Is it OK to have staff or outside contractors do sourcing with my buyer account?

A. We don't recommend handing over your buyer account login credentials. The Conditions of Use state that you're responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password, and for activities that occur under your account or password. Orders placed or reviews posted by the person you delegate to could also become your responsibility. If you share Seller Central work, Seller Central Help recommends creating a separate login for each person and granting them user permissions.

Q. Is there a way to contact Amazon without signing in?

A. The sign-in screen for contacting Customer Service indicates that you can skip logging in if you can't access your account. The contact methods available after skipping may change, so follow the on-screen instructions and keep a record of when you made contact and what you were told.

Summary

When your buyer account isn't working, the starting point is correctly identifying the situation before guessing at the cause.

• First, determine which situation applies: "can't log in," "on hold," "request for documents," "suspension or closure for a terms violation or similar reason," or "fake notice"
• Verify notices through Message Center or Amazon's verification channel, and don't enter information via links
• For a hold, submit through the form after signing in; for a document request, submit as instructed on the linked Help page
• If there are orders or charges you don't recognize, suspect a takeover and check your password reset and two-step verification
• Sellers should check whether their buyer and selling accounts share login credentials, and should not rush to close or recreate an account
• Create a fact sheet before contacting Amazon, and keep your own record of all communications

If you're unsure about things such as how your selling account might be affected, consider organizing the facts and consulting a specialist early.

*This article provides a general explanation. The appropriate response in individual cases depends on the circumstances.

Further reading

Unable to log in to Amazon: checks for buyers and sellers Read article → Amazon Seller Central authorization errors: checking login status and recovery steps Read article → Responding to Amazon misconduct warnings: preparing for additional virtual identity verification Read article →