Amid growing cybersecurity concerns, Amazon has issued a major warning to its 200 million Prime customers about online scams. These scams target unsuspecting Prime users to steal passwords and payment details and have been increasing in frequency.
On July 7, Amazon sent a message to all its customers warning that scammers are attempting to impersonate delivery-giant to extract sensitive information online. Social Security numbers, bank information and other Amazon account details are all targeted by these scams.
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According to Amazon, nearly two-thirds of these scams have been related to order or account issues since 2023. Scammers will often call, text or email Amazon customers about a fabricated order and ask for banking information to “verify” said order was in-fact an error. Spoiler alert: it’s not.
“Scammers who attempt to impersonate Amazon put consumers at risk,” Dharmesh Mehta, Amazon’s vice president of Selling Partner Services said in the company statement. “Although these scams take place outside our store, we will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on how to avoid scams.”
To help customers better identify scams, Amazon is also taking steps to clearly indicate when a communication is genuinely from the company.
“Customers using Gmail, Yahoo!, and other common email providers can be confident an email is coming from Amazon because they will see the Amazon smile logo icon in their inbox,” Amazon explains in the notice. “We also provide resources on how to tell whether an email, phone call, text message, or webpage is really from Amazon.”
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While the company continues to develop its cybersecurity strategies, it has also announced the takedown of more than 55,000 phishing websites and 12,000 phone numbers used in impersonation schemes dating back to 2024.
Amazon’s message also includes important tips to help customers avoid scams—such as verifying all purchases on Amazon, using only the official Amazon app or website, and being wary of false claims designed to pressure users into buying common scam items like gift cards.
If a customer believes they’ve been targeted or affected by a scam, Amazon urges them to contact the company directly with any questions or concerns. Otherwise—whether you’re a Prime member or not—this is a good reminder for all of us to stay alert and informed.
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