Amazon orders have skyrocketed during COVID-19, and scammers are all too aware.
With Amazon Prime Days orders arriving on doorsteps, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning people to “watch out for calls from Amazon imposters” who have numerous tricks to steal personal information.
The scam begins with a phone call, “with either a person or a recorded message claiming to be reaching out from Amazon concerning a problem with your account.”
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These fabricated problems can range from fraudulent charges, and lost or damaged packages, to declined credit cards and unfulfilled orders.
Regardless of the scammer’s excuse for calling, the goal is the same — to coax the consumer into giving up personal information.
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Consumers have reported to the BBB Scam Tracker that con artists have asked for their credit card numbers, Amazon login details, and remote access to their computer.
In an attempt to protect consumers, the BBB and Amazon have come up with a series of tips.
They urge consumers to be skeptical of unsolicited calls, ignore messages asking for personal information, and think before taking any action. Amazon will never call asking for personal details or to gain remote computer access.
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Also, Amazon will never ask for payment outside of its site.
“Requests to pay via wire transfer, prepaid debit card and cryptocurrency are almost always a sign of fraud,” warns the BBB.
If a customer does receive a suspicious call or message, report it to Amazon customer service.
Anyone who is the victim of a scam can report their experience to the BBB Scam Tracker.
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