From The Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia:
The COVID-19 pandemic has more people than ever ordering from Amazon, and scammers are finding ways to cash in on the trend. Con artists are posing as Amazon employees and these scammers are spoofing BBB’s phone number to do it.
How the Scam Works:
You answer the phone, and it’s a recorded message claiming to be from Amazon stating there is a problem with your account. The message ranges from “there’s a fraudulent charge on your Prime card” to “you have an unfulfilled order for an iPhone 10.” No matter what the recording, these scammers have the same goal: getting your personal information. The con artists will either outright ask for credit card and account login details or they will request remote access to your computer under the guise of “helping” to solve an issue.
Also look out for a confusing twist on this scam. The con artists are spoofing other organizations’ phone numbers to help disguise their calls and lend them credibility – including using BBB’s numbers.
How to Spot this Scam:
- Be skeptical of email and unsolicited calls. Some departments at Amazon will call customers, but Amazon will never ask you to disclose or verify sensitive personal information or offer you a refund you do not expect. Amazon will never ask you to make a payment outside of their website and will never ask you for remote access to your device.
- Ignore unsolicited messages that ask for personal information. Amazon will also never send you an unsolicited message that asks you to provide sensitive personal information, such as your tax ID, bank account number or credit card information.
- Ignore calls for immediate action. Scammers try to get you to act before you think by creating a sense of urgency. Don’t fall for it.
- Beware of requests to pay via wire transfer, prepaid debit card or CashApp (such as MoneyPak, iTunes or similar cards). These are almost always a sign of fraud.
- Report it to Amazon. Any customer that receives a questionable email or call from a person impersonating an Amazon employee should report it to Amazon customer service for them to investigate.
For More Information
Learn more about phishing scams at BBB.org/PhishingScam. Learn more about how to identify whether a call or message is really from Amazon in this article.
If you’ve gotten a phony call or been the victim of another scam, make others aware by filing a report on BBB.org/ScamTracker.
About BBB: BBB serving Central Virginia serves Richmond, the Tri-Cities, Charlottesville, and Fredericksburg, as well as 42 surrounding counties from Fauquier to Mecklenburg and Northumberland to Amherst. The nonprofit organization was established in 1954 to advance responsible, honest, and ethical business practices and to promote customer confidence through self-regulation of business. Core services of BBB include business profiles, dispute resolution, truth-in advertising, scam warnings, consumer and business education, and charity review.
