Packages move along a conveyor belt at an Amazon Fulfillment center on Cyber Monday in Robbinsville, New Jersey, on Nov. 28, 2022.
Stephanie Keith | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Jamaal Sanford received a disturbing email in May of last year. The message, whose sender claimed to be part of a “Russian shadow team,” contained Sanford’s home address, social security number and his daughter’s college. It came with a very specific threat.
The sender said Sanford, who lives in Springfield, Missouri, would only only be safe if he removed a negative online review.
“Do not play tough guy,” the email said. “You have nothing to gain by keeping the reviews and EVERYTHING to lose by not cooperating.”
Months earlier, Sanford had left a scathing review for an e-commerce “automation” company called Ascend Ecom on the rating site Trustpilot. Ascend’s purported business was the launching and managing of Amazonstorefronts on behalf of clients, who would pay money for the …