ALL NEWS

Amazon deleted 1 million items for price gouging or false advertising about coronavirus

Mar 2, 2020, 2:21 PM | Updated: Mar 12, 2020, 9:20 am

AMazon West Jordan Amazon pulls price gouge products coronavirus, 1 killed, 2 hurt in shooting outs...

FILE (Photo credit: Richard Drew / Associated Press)

(Photo credit: Richard Drew / Associated Press)

Originally Published: 02 MAR 20 14:37 ET
Updated: 02 MAR 20 15:03 ET

(CNN) — Amazon says it has pulled more than 1 million products for price gouging or falsely advertising effectiveness against the coronavirus.

The company said in a statement that it has “always required sellers provide accurate information” on product pages and removes those that violates its policies. Amazon said that third-party sellers must follow its Fair Pricing Policy, which states companies can’t set a price “significantly higher” then seen in other places or sell an item that “misleads customers.”

The removal comes after Wired found sellers gouging the prices of coronavirus-related products, like face masks, or charging people “exorbitant shipping costs,” according to the magazine. In one instance, the publication found a seller with face masks for as much as five times their normal price.

“We are disappointed that bad actors are attempting to artificially raise prices on basic need products during a global health crisis and, in line with our long-standing policy, have recently blocked or removed tens of thousands of offers,” an Amazon spokesperson told CNN Business. “We continue to actively monitor our store and remove offers that violate our policies.”

Third-party sellers on Amazon have come under criticism in the past for selling defective or fraudulent products with little oversight.

Fear has also gripped consumers as the coronavirus continues to spread. Major stores, like CVS and Walgreens, warned last week that there might be shortages of disinfectant products like hand sanitizers and cleaning wipes.

There are now more than 88,000 coronavirus cases around the world. It has killed more than 3,000 people, with the vast majority being in mainland China.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

All News

Outside of the Yale University Law School is pictured on September 27, 2018 in New Haven, Connectic...

Zenebou Sylla, CNN

Some New England universities, including Yale, break $90,000 barrier for total tuition cost in upcoming school year

(CNN) — Several New England universities and colleges, including Yale, have reached a pinnacle of at least $90,000 for undergraduate tuition and costs starting this fall. Yale University, Tufts University, Boston University (BU), and Wellesley College are among a few private institutions that will top this year’s costs for tuition, housing and other expenses, according to […]

5 hours ago

A West Jordan man was arrested Tuesday for investigation of negligent homicide after he allegedly t...

Pat Reavy, ksl.com

West Jordan man shot, killed best friend while trying to ‘be funny,’ police say

A West Jordan man was arrested Tuesday for investigation of negligent homicide after shooting his "best friend."

6 hours ago

FILE: Cedar High School in Cedar City is pictured on Wednesday April 7, 2021....

Tammy Kikuchi and Emma Keddington

Cedar High School grapples with mascot name, five years after it was changed

The Iron School District Board of Education is grappling with changing the Cedar High School mascot back from "Reds" to "Redmen." 

6 hours ago

Dairy cows across the country, specifically in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico are getting sick with a...

Alexandrea Bonilla

Cows across the country are getting sick with a “flu-like” illness

Utah is altering the requirements for livestock brought into the state after multiple cows across the country have gotten sick with a flu-like illness.  

7 hours ago

FILE: The bust of 30 pounds of fentanyl in American Fork on March 21 highlights the drug problem Ut...

Heather Peterson and Curt Gresseth

DEA warns fentanyl most deadly drug in U.S. and Utah history

The DEA said Utah is on pace to see double the amount of fentanyl this year than last.

9 hours ago

The bodies of two men, ages 35 and 26, were recovered from the water, Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., se...

LEA SKENE and BRIAN WITTE Associated Press

Investigation of Baltimore bridge collapse picks up speed as divers recover 2 bodies from water

BALTIMORE (AP) — Investigators began collecting evidence Wednesday from the cargo ship that plowed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and caused its collapse, while in the waters below divers searched through twisted metal for six construction workers who plunged into the harbor and were feared dead.   The bodies of two men, ages 35 and 26, […]

10 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Amazon deleted 1 million items for price gouging or false advertising about coronavirus