Scammers continue to devise ways to trick people into providing sensitive information or various forms of payment. While some have become well known, such as the Nigerian Prince scam, others continue to emerge or reemerge in new forms.
This week we’ll cover some information from Amazon covering trending scams and how to spot them while using the service.
Current trending scams
Prime membership scams
These scams can come in the form of unsolicited calls, texts or emails that refer to an inflated membership fee or an issue regarding your Prime membership. These scams involve someone trying to convince you to provide payment or bank account information in order for a membership to be reinstated or some cancellation of a charge.
Remember — Amazon has explicitly stated that they will never have a representative contact anyone over the phone for payment regarding products or services. You can view legitimate emails from Amazon by accessing your Message Center on Amazon.com.
Account suspension/deletion scams
Scammers will contact you via text, phone, or email informing you that your account will be suspended or deleted unless you click on a link or verbally give information to verify your account. These links are fraudulent and will take customers to a page where they will be prompted to provide sensitive details such as payment information or account login credentials.
Amazon states it will never ask customers to provide password details or to provide sensitive information over the phone OR on any other website other than Amazon. Do not click on any links without authenticating the email or phone call. All information about your account can be found directly on Amazon or the app.
How to identify scams while shopping on Amazon
Trust Amazon-owned channels
Whenever you need assistance for something related to Amazon, make sure to go through the website or app to get in contact with customer service, tech support, or when making account changes.
Be wary of false urgency
Scammers are notorious for pushing a sense of urgency in order to have you complete something. Have your red flag sensory go up if someone is trying to convince you to act immediately.
Never pay over the phone
Amazon will NEVER have you provide payment information — including gift cards also called “verification cards” by scammers — over the phone.
Verify links first
All real Amazon websites contain “amazon.com” or “amazon.com/support.” Always go directly to the Amazon site or app for things related to your account.
