Amazon has issued a warning to all its customers over two popular scams catching people out.
An email said scammers were ‘constantly’ devising new schemes, exploiting technologies and changing tactics to ‘avoid detection’.
The first one was dubbed ‘Prime membership scams’. This involves unexpected calls/texts/emails that refer to an issue with your membership, or a costly membership fee, and ask you to confirm or cancel the charge.
The scammers will then try and convince you to provide payment or bank account information in order to reinstate a membership.
In its warning, Amazon told customers: ‘Amazon will never ask you to provide payment information for products or services over the phone.
‘Visit the Message Centre on Amazon.co.uk or on our app to review authentic emails from Amazon.
‘To verify your Prime Membership status or make payments, log into your Amazon account, and go to Your Account.‘
The second swindle was called ‘Account suspension/deletion scams’.
These involve texts, emails and phone calls where the Amazon user is told their account will be suspended or deleted. Customers are then asked to click on a fraudulent link or verbally asked to provide information to ‘verify your account’.
They will then be lured into providing account details such as payment information or account login credentials.
Amazon states: ‘Amazon will never ask you to disclose your password or verify sensitive personal information over the phone or on any website other than Amazon.co.uk.
‘Please do not click on any links or provide your information to anyone over the phone without authenticating the email or phone call.
‘If you have questions about the status of your account, go directly to Amazon.co.uk or on our app to view your account details, including the Message Center which displays a log of communications sent from Amazon.’
The retailer has offered four useful tips on ways to identify scams and keep your account and information safe.
Always go through the Amazon mobile app or website when seeking customer service, tech support, or when looking to make changes to your accounts.
Scammers may try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they’re asking. Be wary any time someone tries to convince you that you must act now.
Amazon will never ask you to provide payment information, including gift cards (or ‘verification cards,’ as some scammers call them) for products or services over the phone.
Legitimate Amazon websites contain ‘amazon.co.uk’ or ‘amazon.co.uk/support’. Go directly to Amazon’s website when seeking help with Amazon devices, services, orders or to make changes to your account.
For more information on how to stay safe online, visit Security & Privacy on the Amazon Customer Service page.
If you receive communication — a call, text, or email — that you think may not be from Amazon, please report it to the company.
After Amazon sent out its warning yesterday, UK Google searches for ‘Amazon scams’ surged by a whopping 1,011%, according to tech platform BettingApps.
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