Anyone who shops at Amazon needs to be on high alert and watch out for a worrying new type of attack. Scammers are impersonating the famous shopping brand, and it appears that some customers are getting caught out. In fact, according to the team at Action Fraud, criminals stole over £86,000 from victims during October alone.
This latest threat follows a worrying pattern, with crooks no longer simply sending emails or fake texts. Instead, they call the customer and pretend to be an Amazon representative. Once connected, the scammer then claims that unauthorised items have been added to the victim’s Amazon shopping basket.
To make the fraud appear genuine, they then provide a delivery address that does not belong to the victim and claim that someone is attempting to purchase items using the victim’s bank details.
The best way to stop the transactions is by securing the account, the crook says. Fake instructions are then issued.
These include being asked to share their screen via messaging apps and provide access to documents, such as a passport or driving licence, for “verification” purposes.
Perhaps the scariest is scammers telling the victim to download remote access software. Once installed, this allows criminals to take control of PCs and carry out transactions on the victim’s behalf.
Speaking about the scam, Chief Superintendent Amanda Wolf, Head of Report Fraud Operations, said: “Fraudsters are increasingly successful when they can make their approach feel ordinary. A call about an account issue, a delivery problem or suspicious activity can catch any of us off guard, particularly when it appears to come from a brand we know and trust.
“The best defence is to pause. Criminals want people to react quickly; we want people to take a moment, challenge what they’re being told and verify it through a trusted route.
“Whether somebody claims to be from Amazon, your bank, the police or any other organisation, don’t feel pressured into acting immediately. End the conversation, find the genuine contact details yourself and make contact independently.
“A few moments of caution can make all the difference.”
And an Amazon Spokesperson added: “Scammers that attempt to impersonate Amazon put consumers at risk and there are a variety of scams that ask people to make payments by email, phone, or text for items or services. Be wary any time someone tries to convince you that you must act now – scammers may try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they’re asking, and they use convincing tactics to reel consumers in. We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep them safe.”
It’s easy to stay safe by following some simple rules. Genuine service providers, banks and the police will never call asking you to transfer money, share personal financial details or hand over remote control of your computer, phone or other device.
If you get a call from someone and you are unsure, politely tell them you are hanging up.
You can then call or contact the company directly to check for issues.
