11 Amazon Scams To Avoid
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Every month, a whopping 126 million people flock to Amazon on their mobile devices. But guess what? Hackers see this as a golden opportunity. They pretend to be Amazon and go on a scamming spree — returns, text, you name it. All of it is aimed at snagging your personal info and cash.
Read below to learn more about these Amazon scams and the methods attackers use. You can also learn about Amazon fraud reporting and how to protect yourself against these threats.
Can you get scammed on Amazon?
Getting scammed on Amazon is always possible. However, many Amazon-related scams are simply impersonators and hackers trying to exploit previous Amazon customers to access their personal information and money.
Amazon has a large team of people who ensure sellers are safe and honest. In addition, the company has its A-to-Z Guarantee that backs all products and offers refunds to dissatisfied customers. Overall, the company tries its hardest to protect customers and ensure they receive the products they order.
11 Common Amazon Scams
Scammers get more and more creative with each passing year, but there are a few standard plays they like to employ. Keep your eye out for these 11 scams and avoid getting taken advantage of.
1. Amazon Phishing Email Scams
Amazon phishing email scams trick you into providing personal information, such as your Amazon username and password. If hackers can get their hands on them, they can lock you out of your account and use your payment method to make purchases.
Some Amazon phishing emails may also include malicious links or attachments. They may bring you to fake websites disguised as Amazon if you click on them. The website may request that you fill out some of your personal information. On the other hand, some links and attachments are solely there to get you to click on them and inadvertently download a virus. The virus then gives the hacker access to your computer and data.
2. Amazon Prime Video Scams
Amazon Prime Video scams are elaborate scenarios. Attackers create websites and ads that mimic the official Amazon Prime Video website. If you click on these, you go to a website that looks like the real Amazon website. However, it may request that you fill out forms to verify your login information or change your password and provide multifactor authentication (MFA) codes. It may also send you to a third-party website to process a payment. Only fill out these forms or make a payment on the official Amazon website.
3. Amazon Job Scams
Amazon job scams claim they'll help you find employment with Amazon — for a fee. These scammers pose as recruitment partners or even as Amazon themselves, offering an easy path to jobs so long as you pay to meet with them. They even entice the unwary with work-from-home scams.
Amazon advises you to never pay a fee to interview with the company (and that's good advice for interviews in general!). It also states it never sends job offers using public email accounts, such as Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo. If anyone approaches you with these scam offers, report them to Amazon and any payments you may have made to your local police department.
4. Amazon Gift Card Scams
Amazon gift card scams occur when someone reaches out to you either selling a product or seeking money. They may claim to have a miracle product for sale, or they're one of many scammers who prey on people's goodwill and claim they're going through some sort of hardship.
Regardless of the reason for payment, these people will request you pay them through Amazon gift cards instead of by conventional means. Before you receive anything, the scammer will direct you to purchase an Amazon gift card and send them the redemption code. Once they receive the funds, you won't hear from them again, and you won't receive any products or other compensation for your time and money.
5. Fake Product Listing Scams
Fortunately, Amazon puts in a lot of work to cut back on Amazon seller scams and fake product listings. Scammers are wily, however, and find their way through the cracks.
In most cases, these scams are counterfeit products. You might find a high-end Gucci sold through a third-party seller. However, once it arrives you may realize they sent you a ripoff Bucci, complete with an alternate logo.
Amazon may offer some coverage for these products through its A-to-Z Guarantee, but you should double-check all product information before purchasing.
6. Unclaimed Package Scams
Perhaps you've heard of Amazon "mystery boxes." Unclaimed package scams are very similar. Con artists create pages on social media and advertise unclaimed packages with potentially valuable items inside. They claim they'll send you the package once you make your purchase. In some cases, they actually do. However, whatever you receive is unlikely worth how much you paid. Like the mystery boxes, it may be better to put your money toward an item you actually want or need.
7. Overpayment Scams
Amazon billing scams are yet another way these crooks try to take your money. With an overpayment scam, the attacker will say you need to provide payment information so they can refund you for an unauthorized payment or an overpayment on your last order. They'll then take that information and drain your account.
Another method is when they send you a "refund" but then ask you to return part of it, claiming it was an overpayment. However, what actually happened was they transferred money from one of your accounts to another, making it look like you got extra money. What you end up sending them is your hard-earned cash.
8. Off-Platform Payment Scams
Sellers may ask you to make a payment off the Amazon website. For example, they may ask that you PayPal them the money or complete a bank transfer. If the seller directs you anywhere besides the official Amazon website, they are likely trying to get around the Amazon A-to-Z guarantee.
Making off-platform payments means your purchase no longer has Amazon's official protections, letting the seller take your money and give nothing in return. Always make payments through the Amazon payment portal.
9. Technical Support Scams
Technical support and IT scams pretend to be there to help you, but they just want access to your account. You may receive a phone call or scam text from someone claiming to be Amazon. They want you to follow a link they provide and change your password, claiming there was a security breach (of course, they're the breach). The hacker can then bypass security and access your account to make purchases.
Another similar scam is when they ask you to download software that lets them access your device. Once on your account, they can lock you out of it and access your personal information and payment methods. It goes without saying, but it's best to only download software from trusted sources, like the Google Play and Apple app stores.
10. Brushing Scams
Brushing scams occur when the scammer sends a product to you without your knowledge. They order the product simply so they can post fake reviews as a verified buyer. While the thought of receiving free items in the mail may excite you, it likely means that scammers can easily find your address and other personal information online. Report Amazon phishing and other scams directly to Amazon and then take action to secure your information. Identity theft protection may help when you can't identify how an attacker got your information.
11. Product Review Scams
While Amazon review scams might sound similar to brushing scams, they are more comparable to phishing scams. In these cases, you might receive an email that offers you to write Amazon reviews in exchange for cash, gift cards or free items. However, they may ask you to sign up for a program on a third-party website. While it might be tempting to go through with it, the website is likely a way for scammers to gather your personal information.
How To Report Fraud To Amazon
If you received suspicious emails, text messages or other forms of communication that you believe weren't from Amazon, report them to the company's customer service page online. The page lists several links depending on what type of communication you received and how you responded. You can also report unsolicited packages. There's a separate page to report Amazon gift card scams.
Amazon also provides links to report Amazon fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and protects your Amazon account if you're afraid hackers can access it.
Is there an Amazon scam going around?
There are likely many different types of Amazon scams going around at any particular time. It's difficult to say how many of these attackers are actively trying to scam people.
Be cautious when dealing with any communication from Amazon. If you receive emails, text messages, mail or phone calls, ensure you're speaking with the real company. If you suspect you've been a scam victim, you can report Amazon scams directly.
Is Amazon Mystery Box a scam?
Amazon Mystery Box listings are not explicitly a scam. Many advertise that you will receive several mystery items within a specified theme for a set price. You buy the box, and you'll likely receive the mystery items.
Several of these offers are legitimate. However, customer reviews are often negative simply because the items included are worth less than what they paid. It might be exciting to get a little surprise, but your money might be better spent on a guaranteed item.
What happens if you get scammed on Amazon?
Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee protects customers against order and refund scams. If you make a purchase through the Amazon website or Amazon Payments on a third-party website, you can be reimbursed up to $2,500, including shipping costs, if you don't receive your product. This also includes products that arrive late or in the expected condition.
Unfortunately, those who fall victim to scams organized by impersonators and hackers won't be as lucky. If you've given personal information to someone you don't know, take action immediately to protect your account. You may also want to contact your bank to secure your funds.
How To Avoid Getting Scammed On Amazon
Here's one of the most important rules to follow when online: Never hand over personal information unless you're certain you're dealing with a legitimate seller. If you receive suspicious emails or text messages, don't assume they are truly coming from Amazon. Research the sender and contact Amazon using valid contact information to see if the message is real. And if you receive messages about an order that you know you didn't place, remember that it is likely a scam.
Summary of Digg's 11 Amazon Scams To Avoid
Amazon does its best to avoid customers getting scammed on the platform. However, impersonators everywhere take advantage of its large customer base. These scammers set up detailed plots to get their hands on your Amazon account, personal information or money. They might do this through phishing emails, fake websites and ads, payment scams or review scams.
While you can report phishing to Amazon and the proper authorities, there's only so much they can do after you've fallen victim to one of these scams. The best thing to do is to get ahead of the scammers by learning about their tactics and using antivirus software and identity theft protection like Norton's LifeLock.
