Amazon sent customers an email with the subject line, “Lookout for online scammers” with detailed advice to help them prevent getting defrauded. One critical piece of advice – it advised recipients to be wary of false urgency. “Scammers may try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they’re asking,” the email stated. “Be wary any time someone tries to convince you that you must act now.”
Amazon can not have taken lightly the idea of issuing a warning to shoppers in the days leading up to Christmas, a possible sign of just how bad things are when it comes to fraud.
Some of the scams on the rise this year include false text messages and fake order confirmations, according to Abigail Bishop, Amazon’s head of scam prevention, in an article published on PYMNTS the same day as the Amazon mailing.
In Tuesday’s email to shoppers, Amazon explained “order confirmation scams,” writing: “These are unexpected calls/texts/emails that often refer to an unauthorized purchase and ask you to act urgently to confirm or cancel the purchase. These scammers try to convince you to provide payment or bank account information, install software to your computer/device, or purchase gift cards.”
Amazon also advised shoppers never to 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.”
The email also linked to a help page on Amazon.com that provides “Tips to determine if an email, phone call, text message, or webpage is really from Amazon.”
The full letter to customers follows below:
Hello (redacted),
Stay safe from scammers this holiday season by getting to know their most common scams:
- Order Confirmation Scams. These are unexpected calls/texts/emails that often refer to an unauthorized purchase and ask you to act urgently to confirm or cancel the purchase. These scammers try to convince you to provide payment or bank account information, install software to your computer/device, or purchase gift cards.
Remember, if you received correspondence regarding an order you weren’t expecting, you can verify orders by logging into your Amazon account. Only legitimate purchases will appear in your order history – and Customer Service is available 24/7 to assist.
- Tech Support Scams. Scammers create fake websites claiming to provide tech support for your devices and Amazon services. Customers who land on these pages are lured to contact the scammer and fall prey to their schemes.
Remember, go directly to the help section of our website when seeking help with Amazon devices or services. If you do use a search engine, use caution. Legitimate Amazon websites contain “amazon.com” such as “amazon.com/support”.
Here are some important tips so that you can identify scams and keep your account and information safe:
1) Trust Amazon-owned channels. Always go through the Amazon mobile app or website when seeking customer service, tech support, or when looking to make changes to your account.
2) 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.
3) 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.
If you receive correspondence you think may not be from Amazon, please report it to us. For more information on how to stay safe online, visit Security & Privacy on the Amazon Customer Service page.
Additional resources:
- Tips to determine if an email, phone call, text message, or webpage is really from Amazon.
- Amazon offers Cybersecurity Awareness Training free to individuals and businesses around the world.
- If you’re concerned about your account security, go to Protect Your System for tips and recommendations.
Sincerely,
Amazon
