In recent months, many sellers have experienced massive account suspensions on Amazon UK and eBay. The reasons behind this surge often lie in stricter controls, fraud prevention, and evolving payment system requirements. In this article, we’ll explore the key risk factors, the role of 3D Secure, and how to reduce the chances of suspension.
1. Using Unsupported Regions and Location Masking
One potential cause of eBay or Amazon account suspension is operating from countries where these platforms are not officially supported. For example, eBay restricts access in some regions (such as India) and prohibits use in sanctioned countries including North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela.
You can find the official list of embargoed and restricted regions in eBay’s Embargoed Goods Policy:
👉 https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/embargoed-goods-policy?id=4323
If you manage a store from one of these regions but sell primarily to the U.S. or European markets, your account may be restricted or suspended.
To minimize this risk, it’s recommended to use anti-detect browsers or anonymizers, such as GoLogin, to safely manage your accounts while staying compliant with eBay’s regional policies.
Also keep in mind:
eBay may lower your store’s rating if orders are fulfilled from multiple warehouses or inconsistent dropshipping sources.
A high number of returns, cancellations, or complaints can damage your reputation and trigger account limits.
For long-term stability, use a single fulfillment center or factory-based fulfillment and maintain strong customer service metrics.
2. What Is 3D Secure & Why It Matters
3D Secure (3DS) is an authentication protocol used for online payments (e.g. “Verified by Visa”, “MasterCard SecureCode”).
Its goal is to confirm that the cardholder is making the transaction, adding a layer of fraud protection.
Transactions may be declined if a card doesn’t support 3DS, particularly on large or international marketplaces.
Many virtual cards, especially from fintech services, may lack 3DS support — always verify this in advance.
If 3DS authentication fails, the transaction could be blocked or flagged, which may escalate to account suspicion.
A properly implemented 3DS helps reduce chargebacks and adds liability protection.
3. Why Amazon UK Has Tightened Account Bans & Order Cancellations
🔒 Heightened Fraud & Abuse Crackdown
Amazon is aggressively targeting suspicious patterns: fake accounts, return fraud, mass orders to different addresses, use of virtual cards, forged documents, and more. Even a small deviation from expected behavior can trigger suspension.
📉 Regulatory Pressures in the UK
Post-Brexit, Amazon UK is strict on VAT compliance. Accounts without VAT registration or proper invoicing may be flagged and suspended, especially if turnover exceeds ~£85,000.
🤖 Automated Trust & Safety Algorithms
Amazon employs AI to detect:
abnormal order behavior,
multiple shipping addresses per account,
use of VPNs, proxies, or suspicious devices,
source tracking and supplier patterns (if delivery seems tied to eBay, Argos, etc.).
This leads to automatic cancellations and rapid suspensions, especially for new accounts or those with weak histories.
📦 Logistics Risks with Dropshipping
Frequent customer complaints include:
receiving items in packaging from third-party retailers instead of your brand,
invoices with unrelated sellers,
long shipping times,
missing or invalid tracking.
This degrades customer experience, prompting Amazon to view the account as unreliable.
🚫 Stricter Dropshipping Rules
Amazon mandates that you be the seller of record on all packing slips, invoices, and returns. If you resell items from other retailers without adhering to these rules (retail arbitrage), it can constitute a policy violation. sellercentral.amazon.co.uk+4sellercentral.amazon.co.uk+4AMZ SELLERS ATTORNEY®+4
4. How 3D Secure & Payment Issues Contribute to Suspensions
Cards lacking 3DS support may result in failed payment attempts or suspicious flagging.
Repeated payment difficulties may lead Amazon to suspect account instability or fraud.
Using virtual cards without 3DS is a red flag in Amazon’s fraud detection system.
Secure 3DS-authenticated transactions help shift liability away from sellers and reduce chargeback exposure.
A robust payment setup with 3DS is increasingly considered part of the trust infrastructure.
5. Tip: Communicate with Your Customers About Amazon Packaging
You can inform your buyers in advance that the item will be shipped from your Amazon warehouse, which is why it may arrive in Amazon-branded packaging.
This helps to prevent confusion or questions like “Why did my order come in Amazon packaging instead of eBay?” and maintains customer trust.
Clear communication upfront reduces disputes and improves your seller reputation on eBay.
In 2025, eBay and Amazon have placed strong focus on the seller’s operating region. Using these platforms from unsupported or sanctioned countries — such as Russia, North Korea, or Venezuela — can result in immediate suspension, even if your store targets the U.S. or European markets.
Both marketplaces monitor IP addresses, payment origins, and login regions to detect policy violations. Breaching regional restrictions has become one of the main reasons for account suspension.
To protect your business, follow geographic compliance rules and, when necessary, use secure tools like GoLogin to reduce regional risks and keep your store running smoothly.