
"This will allow them to look for sensitive information such as log-in credentials for your Amazon account, social media accounts, as well as online banking accounts," explains Liew. What it really does is allow them easy access to your phone or computer.
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Liew also says to watch out for any Amazon scammers who contact you about your account being suspended-they will usually request you to install a remote access tool that will immediately restore your Amazon account. "This could be a gateway for scammers to gain access to your financial information," says Christopher Liew, CFA and founder of personal finance platform, WealthAwesome. Instead, hover over the link to examine the URL and verify the source.Īny texts you get from Amazon saying you have won a prize are also scams, and you should avoid clicking on the link. "If there is a link, don't click," warns Santora.
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Make sure you don't click on any links or attachments in these messages, or download anything. "Email (phishing) or text (SMS phishing, 'smishing') scams are an easy way for hackers to steal money by pretending to be someone you trust," Santora explains.Īmazon Scam Calls Avoid clicking on links in fake Amazon messages.
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The first step is to know how to identify these scam messages, also known as phishing attacks. Know how to identify Amazon scam calls and messages. Here's how you can get better at identifying and preventing such Amazon scams-and what you can do if you do become the victim of one. "The reality is that it's not 'if' but 'when' a phishing attack will happen." "If you don't put yourself through those rigorous checks, you're going to get hit at some point," says Nick Santora, a certified cybersecurity expert and CEO of security awareness training platform, Curricula. Sadly, many of the victims were people 60 years or older, who were four times more likely to report losing money to an Amazon scam-an average of $1,500 according to the FTC's report.Ĭyberattacks like these can be harmful to your financial and personal security, and could even lead to identify theft. About one in three people who reported a business impersonator to the FTC between June 2020 and June 2021 said the person on the other line claimed to be from Amazon.Ībout 96,000 people said they were targeted, with 6,000 reporting they lost money-an average of $1,000 per victim. In a recently released report, The Federal Trade Commission says that last year, Amazon was the most frequently impersonated business. And if you feel like you have been getting a lot more of these spammy calls and texts, you're not alone. Truth is, it's likely the only suspicious activity there is the message itself-because it's a scam. You might have gotten a text saying you won a raffle, or that there is some suspicious activity on your Amazon account.

Many of us have gotten the email (or text, or call)-it looks like it's from Amazon, but something seems off.
