Protect yourself from Amazon scammers

Amazon shoppers have been issued a warning after reports of a scam that could trick you into handing your bank details over to fraudsters.

The online retailer’s regular emails to customers make it the perfect cover for con artists to get in touch with customers – without their message necessarily standing out as fake.

It means it is more important than ever to be able to tell a scam email from a real one.

The warning was issued by Action Fraud, after it received more than 2,000 reports in just a week about fake emails purporting to be from Amazon.

The emails claim the recipient’s Amazon account has been “locked” and that they need to complete an “identity verification” process in order to unlock it.

The links in the emails lead to genuine-looking phishing websites that are designed to steal Amazon login credentials, as well as personal and financial information.

The emails are generally made to look like they are coming from Amazon. If you receive an e-mail claiming to be from Amazon, and you suspect it is a spoof or phishing e-mail, here are some things you can look out for:

• Amazon will never ask for personal information to be supplied by e-mail.
• Amazon will never request to update payment information that is not linked to an Amazon order you placed or an Amazon service you subscribed to.
• Never feel pressured to give information (such as your credit card number or account password) over the phone, especially if the call was unexpected. Scammers may try to use calls, texts, and emails to impersonate Amazon customer service. If you’re ever unsure, it’s safest to end the call/chat and reach out directly to customer support through the Amazon app or website.
• Never pay over the phone. 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.
• Trust Amazon-owned channels. Always go through the Amazon mobile app or website when seeking customer support or when looking to make changes to your account.
• Be wary of false urgency. 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.