How-To

Amazon Account Locked? 4 Fixes

By Adam Davidson

Published October 11, 2022

If your Amazon account is locked, you won’t be able to make purchases. Restore your Amazon access using the steps in this guide.

Amazon is one of the biggest companies in the world, which unfortunately makes it a target for criminal elements. The company does everything it can to try to reduce fraud. Unfortunately, this does mean that you might find that your Amazon account is locked, even if you weren’t using it for anything other than legitimate shopping.

If you contact Amazon, the company should be able to unlock your account for you. Here are some things to try if you have your Amazon account locked.

Why Is My Amazon Account Locked?

There are several reasons why Amazon may temporarily lock your account. It usually happens in an attempt to limit fraud or unauthorized transactions. If Amazon detects suspicious activities on your account, it may lock it to help keep you protected.

The types of activities that may lead to a lock on your Amazon account include:

• A new account making an unusually large number of orders.
• A high number of products being returned.
• False information is being used on your account, such as a false name or billing address.
• Unusual use of gift cards on your account.
• Using your account with different IP addresses.

How to Fix Amazon Account Locked Issues

The good news is that if your Amazon account has been locked, you should be able to get it unlocked again by getting in touch with Amazon. There are a number of ways you can do this.

1. Contact Amazon via Chat

You can contact Amazon customer support directly using the live chat service. There are a few ways to access the live chat, but the steps below are one of the quickest ways to start chatting.

To contact Amazon via live chat:

1. Sign in to your Amazon Account. If you can’t access your current account, create a new one with a different email address.
2. Click on the small arrow next to Accounts & Lists.
   
3. At the end of the list of options, click Customer Service.
   
4. Select Something Else.
   
5. Click I Need More Help.
   
6. Click Start Chatting Now.
   
7. Explain that there is a lock on your Amazon account.
8. Provide any requested verification details.
9. Supply any requested documents. Customer services will evaluate your case. If everything is in order, you should have your account unlocked within a couple of days or even the same day in some cases.

2. Call Amazon for Help

If you would prefer to speak to someone in person, you can call Amazon customer support. They will take a look at your account and let you know what you need to do for them to remove the lock.

To call Amazon for assistance:

1. Sign in to your Amazon account. If you can’t sign in, create a new and temporary account to speak to Amazon.
2. Click the arrow next to Accounts & Lists.
3. Select Customer Service.
   
4. Click Something Else.
   
5. Select I Need More Help.
   
6. Request a call by clicking Request Call Now.
   
7. Enter your phone number and click Call Me Now.
   
8. Amazon customer support will call the number you entered. Explain that you have had your Amazon account locked.
9. Provide any verification details required to prove it is your account.
10. Supply any requested information. They will evaluate your case and if all is in order, they will unlock your account for you. It could happen in as little as a few hours, but it may take a couple of days.

3. Email Amazon

Amazon doesn’t make it easy for you to contact them via email. If you’ve tried the methods above, you’ll notice there’s no email option on the customer service page.

However, you may still be able to resolve the issue over email, if that’s your preference.

To contact Amazon by email:

1. First off, check your email account that is registered to Amazon. You’ll need to see if you have received an email from them about your account being locked. If so, you should be able to reply to this email to contact them.
2. Be sure that the email is from Amazon before replying to it or clicking any links. Phishing emails can often look like emails from Amazon.
3. If you don’t have any Amazon emails to reply to, try sending an email to cs-reply@amazon.com. Include information about the lock on your Amazon account.

You may need to wait up to two days for a reply. Unfortunately, email is definitely the slowest option for contacting Amazon if your account is locked.

4. Upload Documents Directly to Amazon

If you can sign in to your account, but cannot make purchases because your account is locked, then you may be able to send supporting documentation directly to Amazon. This will help you to get your account unlocked again.

To upload supporting documents to Amazon:

1. Sign in to your Amazon account if you can.
2. Add anything to your basket and try to make a purchase.
3. You should see a message stating that your account is on hold.
   
4. Fill in the details including your full name, country, billing address, and phone number.
5. Include the request supporting documentation. This could include a billing statement for your payment card or proof of purchase for a gift card.
6. Submit the information. Amazon will contact you and lift your restriction or request further details.

Changing Your Amazon Settings

If you’ve had your Amazon account locked, one of the fixes above will hopefully solve your issues.

Got other tips to share to help unlock an Amazon account? Feel free to let us know in the comments below. After unlocking your Amazon account, change your settings to suit your needs better.

For example, if you want to change your shipping address, that’s simple to do.  You might also want to share an Amazon wish list from your account so that friends and family know what you get for your next birthday.

Finding it hard to find an order you’ve placed? You can always archive your old Amazon orders. This is a great way to hide purchases if you share your account with someone else.