Amazon scam emails that could cost you thousands have skyrocketed by 500 percent since last year – so how can you look out for them?
The online retailing giant’s popularity has made it a prime target for fraudsters and internet con’s trying to take advantage of unsuspecting customers.
And as Amazon’s security improves, so does the sophistication of the scammers – but there are some red flags that can help you spot them.
The latest scheme involves an official-looking email from ‘Amazon’ being sent out to customers of fake receipts or shipping confirmations for an order that you never placed.
Users may then click on the dodgy link to find out more about their supposed order – making you believe you have to update your account details.
A similar trick notifies users there is a ‘problem’ with your Amazon account or payment method – again tricking victims into resubmitting their personal information to try and fix the issue.
But innocently calling the ‘helpline’ or clicking on the dodgy link is actually part of the plan to fool you into handing over your private personal details.
So, if your second guessing the suspicious-looking email you just received, these three simple checks can help you determine its authenticity.
Looking out for suspicious language or grammatical and spelling errors is an easy way to see if the message is legit, as a genuine Amazon inquiry would not have any.
If the email asks you to…
