Amazon Sellers in Crosshairs as Hackers Alter Trademark Data

Rogue users are exploiting an Amazon.com Inc. brand registry by hacking into a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database to pose as valid trademark holders, threatening sales by established brands.

The PTO’s database tells Amazon if a brand’s trademark is registered. Each registered trademark has a number. Amazon then looks to see whether a business that wants to sell products on the site submitted a registration number that matches the PTO’s. If it did, Amazon emails an authentication code to the business so they can sell their products on Amazon as trademarked items.

Hackers have been changing business’s email addresses ...