Amazon Warns Users About Online Scam

By Karl Tisbe, | December 19, 2016

Amazon said that it will never send communications requesting for vital information from its users. (Mike Mozart/CC BY 2.0)

Amazon said that it will never send communications requesting for vital information from its users. (Mike Mozart/CC BY 2.0)

There is a new online scam that victimizes Amazon shoppers. The company warned its customers in the U.S., UK, and Australia about a "spoof email" intended to gather personal information.

The fraudulent electronic mail says "Your Amazon.com order cannot be shipped." It is meant to convince customers that the company cannot process their order unless they click a certain link attached to the message. The link directs to a legitimate-looking web page that will require the user's name, address, and payment details. Once the "save and continue" button is clicked, hackers will receive the user's information.

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Amazon said that it would never send communications requesting for vital information such as bank account details, credit card number, and security code, mother's maiden name, answers to security questions, and Amazon account password. The company also noted that verified emails would only come from amazon.co.uk or amazon.com.

The online seller said that the message has many grammatical and typographical errors which suggest the treacherous intention of the sender. Other online scams common this holiday season include giving away gift cards for a small shipping fee.

Financial advisor Kaleb McCarty advised consumers to "never fall for an email that you're getting something for free because they want to collect your information and do whatever with it." McCarty also warned buyers to only purchase from legit and esteemed online sellers. "Thieves will steal gift cards off the rack, if they're sitting there, and replace them with ones that are already used," she explained.

Mary Bach, the chairperson of the AARP, said that "so many people right now are using Amazon, randomly sending out a mass email could be successful." Scammers see the holiday season as an opportunity to steal from people, especially through online shopping stores.

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