Amazon email scam that could trick you into handing over your details to fraudsters this Black Friday
The phishing scam cons you into handing over your personal and financial details
SHOPPERS are being warned about a fake Amazon email scam which could con thousands into handing over their details to fraudsters.
The email, which looks like it’s genuinely from Amazon, tricks customers into thinking there is a problem processing their order and tells them that it cannot be shipped.
It then asks you to click on a link and confirm your account details. The phishing scam then collects up your personal information - giving fraudsters access to your personal and financial information.
The scam was picked up by the Hoax-Slayer website, which is dedicated to thwarting internet scammers, and highlighted by Action Fraud - the UK’s online safety group - as a phishing scam.
Black Friday is usually one of the biggest shopping days of the year, as retailers slash their prices in an attempt to get shoppers to part with cash in the run up to Christmas.
Amazon started its 12-day Black Friday mega sale yesterday - promising discounts of up to 87 per cent - and expects thousands of shoppers to place orders.
Shoppers have to look out for “lightning deals” which are released on an hourly basis.
Earlier this month The Sun Online reported how fraudsters were targeting Whatsapp users by sending messages promising £100 vouchers for TopShop and Sainsbury’s.
The message encourages the recipient to click on a link and fill in their details to get the money-off coupon, however, it just steals your information so scammers can access your personal details.
The Sun Online contacted Amazon for a comment.
How to protect yourself from scams
Firstly, remember that if something seems too good to be true, it normally is.
If you like to interact with brands on social media, check they are “verified”. On Facebook and Twitter pages, this means the company will have a blue tick on their profile. As a general rule, verified status means the account should be legitimate.
How to report a phishing scam or fake email
On its website Amazon says that it takes attempts to scam customers “very seriously”.
You can report any suspicious activity to Amazon by emailing: [email protected].
It asks customers to attack fake emails as an attachment, rather than forwarding it on.
Amazon will never ask you for via email:
- National Insurance Number
- bank account details or PIN
- Your mother's maiden name
- Your Amazon password
For more information visit the .
Look for grammatical and spelling errors; fraudsters are notoriously bad at writing proper English. If you receive a message from a “friend” informing you of a freebie, consider whether it’s written in your friend’s normal style.
If you’re invited to click on an URL, hover over the link to see the address it will take you to – does it look genuine?
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To be on the really safe side, don’t click on unsolicited links in messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact.
Be careful when opening email attachments too. Fraudsters are increasingly attaching files, usually PDFs or spreadsheets, which contain dangerous malware.
If you receive a suspicious message then report it to the company, block the sender and delete it.
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