AMAZON SCAM – Scammers Trick You into Giving Them Money

You receive a phone call, email, or text message from someone, claiming to be from Amazon, about suspicious activity or unauthorized purchases made against your account. If you call the number given, the phony Amazon representative will trick you into giving them control over your computer or device so that they can give you a refund.

From here they pull an old trick. They “accidentally” add some extra zeros, overpaying you. Then they ask you to return the difference.

To make this ruse more convincing, while they are in your computer, they may access your online banking account, move the amount from your savings account to your checking account. And when you look at your checking account, you see the “deposit” and you assume you got your refund.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which reported this scam, says that about 35% of people who report a business impersonator scam, reported that the impersonator claimed to be from Amazon. And, over the past year, Amazon impersonators seem to be harming older people over 60. According to the FTC, older people are four times more likely than younger people to report losing money to an Amazon impersonator.

For most of us, we realize that a vendor has a way to refund or credit our credit card accounts without going into our computers. But depending on our stresses at any moment, this might be a compelling situation to comply with a stranger. Remember, do not let anyone who has unexpectedly contacted you to control your computer.

Some other tips include,

·         Never call phone numbers included in unsolicited phone calls, emails, or text messages. If you want to check your account or ask a company representative about your account, look up the company’s web address and/or phone number with a web search.

·         DO NOT PAY FOR FEES OR OTHER CHARGES WITH A GIFT CARD! Especially when a stranger contacts you out of the blue.

·         If you receive a phone call, text, or email from an Amazon impersonator, tell your family and friends. The more people who know about the scam, the more people will be on guard against it.

·         And, if you receive a call from an Amazon impersonator, tell the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/?pid=A

 

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/data-spotlight/2021/10/amazon-tops-list-impersonated-businesses

 

Amazon- Here is a search result on the Amazon website about scams:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?help_keywords=scams&search=true&nodeId=G508510&kwHidden=true&sprefix=scams%2Cscams%2C0&locale=en_US&ref_=hp_search_rd_gw