“We’ve recently noticed an increase in customers reporting fake emails about Amazon Prime membership subscriptions,” Amazon explained in a message sent to users.
“Do not click on any links in these messages.”
It’s a worrying trend and now security experts are weighing in with some new advice aimed at keeping Prime members safe.
The team at Malwarebytes says it has also seen emails pretending to be from Amazon that try to drive customers to fake websites.
Once clicked, users are often asked to add personal data including email and passwords which can then be used by hackers to access accounts.
“Once someone clicks on the “Cancel’ button, they are taken to a fake Amazon login screen. Once they login there, the scammer then has their details that they can use to login to the actual Amazon site and purchase things, as well as login to any other online account that uses the same credentials,” Malwarebytes added.
Malwarebytes has now issued some useful advice, including being careful before clicking on links and setting up two-step verification, which means accounts can’t be accessed without a code being sent first.
If you are concerned by this new threat and want to stay safe, here are 6 top tips from Malwarebytes.
How to avoid falling for the latest Amazon Prime scam
• If you receive an email like this, don’t click on any links.
• Not sure if a message is from Amazon or not? You can check by going to the Message Centre under Your Account. Legitimate messages from Amazon will appear there.
• Report the scam to Amazon itself, whether you’ve fallen for it or not.
• Set up two-step verification for your Amazon account. This puts an extra barrier between you and the scammers if they do manage to get hold of your login details.
• Install web protection that can warn you of phishing sites, card skimmers, and other nasties that could lead to your data being taken.
• If you’ve fallen for this or a similar scam, change your Amazon password and anywhere else you use that password. Also, make sure to monitor your card statements for any unfamiliar charges, and contact your bank immediately if you see anything suspicious.