Amazon warns of fraud when ordering online

Especially around Black Friday, many people order from new online shops because of special offers. But more and more providers are now warning about fraud when shopping online – including Amazon.

According to Amazon, there is an increase in online shopping fraud around Black Friday and in the run-up to Christmas. The company therefore warns its customers about fraud involving identity abuse online and provides tips on how to recognize and avoid fraud.

To avoid being exposed, fraudsters quickly change their tactics. In impersonation, they pose as a trustworthy company and try to gain access to sensitive information such as social security numbers, banking information or Amazon account details.

Black Friday on Amazon: Phishing email scams

One of the most common scams: scammers send emails similar to Amazon's that contain attachments claiming to have your account suspended. These attachments ask you to click on a fraudulent link to supposedly update your account.

These so-called phishing emails are designed to trick you into revealing personal information such as payment information or account login details. Therefore, you should first try to check email addresses before clicking on links in attachments. In Amazon's message center you can see what real emails from the company look like.

Amazon: Prime membership scams

Another scam: Unexpected calls, texts or emails asking you to confirm or cancel the fee, citing an Amazon Prime membership. Scammers try to convince you to provide payment or bank account information to reinstate a membership.

However, according to the company, Amzaon never asks you to provide payment information for products or services over the phone. To check your Prime membership status or make payments, sign in to your Amazon account.

Black Friday: This is how you can protect yourself from scammers on Amazon

1. Amazon communication channels are trustworthy: If you want to reach Amazon customer service or technical support or make changes to your account, always do so via the Amazon mobile app or the official website.
2. Be suspicious of urgency: Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they ask. Therefore, be generally careful if someone pressures you to do something immediately.
3. Never pay over the phone: Amazon will never ask you to provide payment information or gift cards – called “confirmation cards” by scammers – for products or services over the phone.
4. Check links: Official Amazon website links include “amazon.de”. Navigating via the official website is therefore recommended.
5. Check email address: Official Amazon emails contain “@amazon.de”. Hover the mouse cursor over the name of the sender of an email to see the full address. Check for spelling errors or added or replaced characters. In the message center you will find all of Amazon's real email addresses.

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