It would almost be funny if it weren’t so maddening.
The latest reply came from Eric, Kindle Direct Publishing Support. His entire contribution?
“Due to security reasons we are not able to click on external links. If you would like to move forward with any of the options provided previously please let us know.”
In other words: we won’t look at the evidence you’ve already provided. Screenshots, timestamps, case histories, and links to Amazon’s own systems—ignored. Why? Because of “security.”
This is the absurdity I’ve been describing for weeks: a corporate culture where process replaces thought, script replaces responsibility, and excuses replace action.
Naming names
Here are the Amazon staff who have so far passed the parcel on this case:
- Okiethia — Kindle Direct Publishing Manager
- Zulpha — KDP Support Manager
- Laura — Kindle Direct Publishing Support
- Eric — Kindle Direct Publishing Support
Every one of them has apologised for the “inconvenience.” None of them has taken ownership. And still, my royalties remain inaccessible and my account locked in an endless two-step verification loop.
The pattern is clear
This isn’t about a single employee failing. It’s systemic.
Amazon’s customer support culture is allergic to ownership. Staff are forbidden (or unwilling) to look at the full case history. Each new contact simply recycles the same script, while the customer grows more exhausted and more enraged.
And at the top of this pyramid? Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon. He is copied into these posts now because his name deserves to be linked—over and over—to the failure of the company he leads.
Why this matters
For me, this is not a trivial complaint. I am a veteran living in Vietnam, reliant on Amazon’s systems to pay me royalties I have already earned. When those royalties are blocked, I am not just inconvenienced—I am denied income.
For authors, publishers, and anyone reliant on KDP: this case is a warning. Amazon can block you from accessing your own money and hide behind scripted replies.
For regulators and journalists: the documentation is public, the names are public, and the company’s refusal to act is public.
Previous posts in this series
Message to Andy Jassy: If you think I will just go away you’d better strap yourself in, son.
