The COVID-19 pandemic has more people than ever before ordering from Amazon.
Scammers have been finding ways to cash in on the trend, with recent cons like the Amazon brushing scam.
With Amazon Prime Days around the corner (Oct. 13 to 14), right after Thanksgiving, promising shoppers deep discounts and deals on top products for the holiday season, scammers are already at work with a new scheme targeting consumers.
Con artists are posing as Amazon employees and are calling consumers claiming to need information about their account.
How the scam works
You answer the phone, and hear either a person or a recorded message claiming to be reaching out from Amazon concerning a problem with your account. The messages reported to BBB Scam Tracker range from a fraudulent charge on your Prime card, a lost or damaged package, a declined credit card or even an unfulfilled order for an iPhone 10. However, regardless of what is shared during the call, the end result is the same - tricking consumers into releasing their personal information. Some consumers shared that the scammers requested their credit card number and the login details for their Amazon account. In other cases, the scammers request remote access to the consumer's computer under the guise of “helping” to solve the issue.
BBB teamed up with Amazon to share the following tips to consumers:
Be skeptical of unsolicited calls.There are instances where some departments at Amazon will call customers. If you are not sure that the caller is really from Amazon, hang up. Remember that Amazon will never ask you to disclose or verify sensitive personal information or offer you a refund you are not expecting. Amazon will never ask you for remote access to your device. If a purchase or claim of a purchase sounds strange or unfamiliar, check your account in a separate web browser or contact Amazon's customer service to verify.
Ignore unsolicited messages that ask for your personal information. Amazon will never send you an unsolicited message that asks you to provide sensitive personal information, such as your social insurance number, bank account number or credit card details. If there is an issue with your payment method, you will receive a message by email or through the Amazon app asking you to go to your account to review the details.
Ignore calls for immediate action. Scammers try to get you to act without thinking by creating a sense of urgency. Don't fall for it!
Beware of unusual payment methods.Amazon will never ask you to make a payment outside of their website. Requests to pay via wire transfer, prepaid debit card and cryptocurrency are almost always a sign of fraud.
Report it to Amazon. Any customer that receives a questionable email or call from a person impersonating an Amazon employee should report them to Amazon customer service. Amazon investigates these complaints and will take action, if warranted.
If you are the victim of a scam, report your experience to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help others to stay informed and avoid similar scams.
