More than 1 million advertisers were affected, the suit says. The online retailer says the Federal Trade Commission’s claim “fundamentally misunderstands” how its ads work.
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IRS audit revenue plunges under Trump as Amazon secretly inflates ad prices
Audit revenue has dropped sharply under Trump, according to the IRS watchdog. Amazon, meanwhile, is alleged to have secretly inflated its ad prices, facing a lawsuit from the FTC and 22 states. The ledger is clear: less oversight means more room for creative pricing, and the public pays the spread. The audit shortfall is precise, the ad inflation is documented. The gap sits between what the IRS used to collect and what Amazon now charges. No adjectives needed. The question isn’t whether the money is gone, hon, but where it landed—and whose column benefits when oversight shrinks. The receipts add up. The price comes due in the checkout line.
“They cut back on audits for the big guys while Amazon hikes ad rates in secret. So the money flows up, and the watchdog falls asleep. That’s how you wake up with less in your wallet and more in theirs.”
“Look, audit revenue fluctuates—it’s complicated, and anyway, it’s not like anyone misses it. As for Amazon, I’m sure those ad prices are competitive and perfectly reasonable—unless the lawsuit is right, but who can say? I certainly didn’t say secret. Did I?”
The receipts
The I.R.S. lost roughly a quarter of its employees since President Trump took office, hampering the agency’s ability to conduct audits.
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.