Amazon is the Internet’s largest online retailer and is available in multiple countries including the United States and United Kingdom.
About Amazon scam texts, emails and phone calls
There is a wide variety of Amazon scams that can be orchestrated through text, email and through the phone.
Amazon “you’ve been charged” scam phone calls
One of the most popular Amazon phone calls scams is an unexpected call that claims a purchase has been made from the recipient’s Amazon account. The call will usually ask the person to press a key on their keypad for details about the purchase or to cancel it. This will then lead to the recipient being tricked into handing over personal and financial information to a scammer over the phone.
In more advanced versions of this scam, the recipient is told to access their computer, where the scammer, posing as an Amazon employee, instructs them to download remote access software onto their computer, giving a scammer access to it.
From there the scammer can download malware or trick the victim into believing they’ve received too much money from the refund, whereby the scammer asks for the victim to return some money back (often via gift cards, courier or Western Union.)
Amazon scam texts and emails
Amazon scam emails and texts usually try and trick a recipient into believing something suspicious or malicious has happened to their Amazon account. The messages contain a link (or a phone number to call) whereby the recipient can, according to the message, investigate and rectify the problem.
For example these scams can claim –
- That the recipient has been locked out of their Amazon account due to security issues
- That the recipient has been locked out of their Amazon account due to a violation
- That the recipient has made a purchase and can click a link or call a helpline number if the recipient did not make the purchase
- To provide shipping information for a fictitious Amazon purchase, thus alarming the recipient into investigating.
However in the cases above, the recipient is tricked into handing over sensitive and personal information to cyber crooks.
Other scam texts and emails can claim that the recipient has won a promotion, competition, lottery or raffle.
Some examples of Amazon scam texts and emails are below.
A standard phishing email claims the recipient has been locked out of their account and they need to click a link to resolve the issue.
Another email scam provides “tracking information” on a fictitious Amazon order, thus alarming the recipient into clicking a link to investigate.
This text scam is similar to the above and claims to offer shipping information on a fake Amazon order.
The below scam text message claims the recipient won a raffle and provides a link to a phishing website where the recipient can “claim their prize”.
Report an Amazon phone, text or email scam
How to report an Amazon scam text?
Amazon has no facility to report scam texts, but recommends you report them to your country’s relevant entity. See the information below.
How to report an Amazon scam email?
You can either attach the scam email or forward it to stop-spoofing@amazon.com
How to report an Amazon scam phone call?
Amazon has no facility to report scam phone calls, but recommends you report them to your country’s relevant entity. See the information below.
If you're in the UK, you can ALSO report scams...
- Scam emails can be forwarded to The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) at report@phishing.gov.uk
- Scam texts can be forwarded to your phone carrier on 7726
- All types of cybercrime and fraud can be reported to the police via ActionFraud by calling 0300 123 2040 (or 101 in Scotland) or by using ActionFraud's online reporting tool here.
If you're in the USA, you can ALSO report scams...
- Scam texts can be forwarded to your phone carrier on 7726
- All types of cybercrime and fraud can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by using their complaint assistant here or by calling 1-877-382-4357 (9am-8pm ET)
From a different country? Click here.
You can also forward SMS or email scams to us at scam@thatsfake.com
Avoiding Amazon phone, text and email scams
With all text and email scams claiming to come from Amazon, these links either trick visitors into downloading harmful files or lead to spoof websites designed to harvest any information entered into them and sends them to the cyber crooks.
The best course of action, as with nearly every phishing scam conducted through email or text message is to simply avoid clicking links in these messages, and don’t download any files they may link to. You should also never reply.
You can always go directly to the Amazon website if you’re not sure to see if there is something you need to do or review, without clicking on any links.
If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from Amazon remember that Amazon will never ask you to make an unexpected payment or offer you an unexpected refund. They will never request money through gift cards or through a courier service. If you’re not sure if the person on the other end of the phone is legitimate, the best course of action is to hang up the phone and contact Amazon through their website.
Amazon had additional information on spotting scams on their webpage here.