AMAZON is raising the alarm about the “#1 scam” targeting its customers – and says a telling clue will keep you from falling victim.
The retailer recently announced that fake order messages were the most prevalent scam for the fourth straight month in May 2024.
Posing as Amazon representatives, scammers claimed a payment – often by credit card – was needed to fix a shipping issue.
Other times, they asked customers to confirm or deny the details of fake purchases and share sensitive account information.
The scammers often threaten to suspend a user’s account unless the fake issue was resolved – quickly.
While most fraudulent order notifications came in the form of emails, customers also received phone calls and text messages.
The tech giant reiterated that a user’s order history, accessible online or in the Amazon Shopping app, will only display legitimate purchases.
Earlier this year, Amazon sounded the alarm about a rise in membership renewal scams.
Bad actors posed as company representatives and requested customers renew services by providing their credit card information.
“Of all Amazon impersonation scams reported by our customers globally in 2023, over two-thirds of scams were related to order issues or account issues,” the company reported.
Both types of schemes were recorded in more than 20 countries.
While some scams may be deceptively realistic, certain clues should raise red flags.
Amazon urged patrons to exercise caution “any time someone tries to convince you that you must act now” – a common technique employed by scammers.
The company reminds customers never to pay over the phone. Amazon will never ask you to provide payment information, including gift cards, in this manner.
Verify links and review email senders. Misspellings, repeated customers, or substituted characters are all signs of a scam.
Legitimate Amazon websites contain the “amazon.com” domain, while legitimate Amazon email addresses contain “@amazon.com”.
However, it is worth noting that this is not the best method to avoid scams, as email addresses can be spoofed.
When seeking help with Amazon devices or services, customers should navigate directly to the Amazon website or mobile app.
The company partnered with experts at the National Cybersecurity Alliance to launch an educational campaign and works extensively with other groups including the Global Cyber Alliance and law enforcement agencies.
Amazon has also joined forced with the Better Business Bureau to gather insights into crime trends.
For members of the public, Amazon offers a free cybersecurity awareness course that is available online.
Check these out...
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First up is Prime Try Before You Buy, which is a Prime exclusive.
This lets you try new styles and sizes of clothes before buying them.
You can return them within seven days at no cost – and you’ll only have to pay for the products that you keep.
It’s a thriftier way to try on clothes, as it means you’re not fronting up money every time.
Second is Amazon Photos, which is extremely handy if you’re a serial snapper.
This gives you access to unlimited full-res photo storage, plus 5GB of video storage.
Third is Prime Reading, which serves up “a rotating collection of over 3,000 digital books, audiobooks, magazines, comics, and more”.
Fourth is another perk for book-lovers: Amazon First Reads.
This gives you early access to a brand new book for free every single month.
Fifth is a brilliant perk called Prime Gaming.
This gets you free games and in-game content every single month, as well as a free Twitch channel subscription to use each month.
You’ll also be able to play a rotating selection of free games on Amazon’s cloud gaming service Luna.
Sixth on the list is Membership Sharing.
This lets you share your existing Prime membership with your family – specifically between two adults, four teens, and four children under 13.
Seventh on the list is Amazon Music.
This gets you ad-free listening to over 100 million songs, along with thousands of playlists and popular podcasts.
And finally, don’t forget to unlock Grubhub+.
If you’re a Prime member in the US, you can get a one-year Grubhub+ trial, which normally costs $9.99 a month.
This gets you unlimited $0 delivery fees on any order over $12.
The company urges customers to report suspicious communications through an online form.
Those who are not customers can do the same by emailing reportascam@amazon.com.
