Scams, defined as dishonest schemes and fraud, tend to rise over the holiday season. Scammers will reach out in many ways including by calls, texts and/or email, hoping to find their next unsuspecting victim. Big companies, such as Amazon, are reminding customers to be aware of holiday season scams. Specifically, they warn against two common scams, the first is order confirmation scams and the second is tech support related. Let’s review both.
SCAM #1 – Order confirmation scams: This type of scam refers to an unauthorized purchase.
What happens? The scammer will try to get a potential victim to urgently confirm or cancel a purchase. The scammer will try to convince the potential victim to provide personal information such as a bank account number. Or they will instruct the potential victim to install software or purchase gift cards.
Should you receive correspondence regarding an order you did not make, it is likely a scam. Do not respond to it. Do not click on any computer links. Do not share any personal information.
What should you do? Independently verify potential changes to your account by logging in to your Amazon account (never use a link provided to you). Call Amazon’s customer service number directly (using the authentic phone number you have). Never use a phone number given to you in the correspondence as that can direct you to the scammer. If the purported unauthorized purchase does not appear in your customer history, it is a scam.
Tip: When using search engines on the computer, type carefully and be sure to go to the legitimate website and not a fake look-a-like site.
SCAM #2 – Tech support scams: This type of scam takes people to fake websites that claim to provide tech support for devices and services.
What happens? Potential victims will be lured to contact the scammer seeking to manipulate them. They may try to persuade potential victims to act now by providing payment or buying gift cards (also called verification cards by scammers). In extreme cases, victims may be bullied or threatened.
What should you do? Be wary of phony websites claiming to provide tech support. If you have questions, reach out to customer service using the mobile app you have installed on your device, calling a number you have, or visiting the company’s verified and trustworthy website. Verify that the web address is legitimate and avoid misspellings that could take you to fake websites.
Tip: Note that Amazon will not send links to an IP address (string of numbers). If a link takes you to a site that is not a legitimate Amazon domain, it is likely phishing. Amazon will not call you to ask for personal information. They recommend that if you receive suspicious or fraudulent correspondence that you report it to their official site (Under Login, Address, Security & Privacy on the Amazon Customer Service page– click suspicious phone call, email or SMS received) and visit Security & Privacy to learn more about staying safe online.
Scams are up this holiday season. Big companies like Amazon are seeking to protect customers by providing information on how to avoid being scammed. Be aware that scammers will lie about their identities and use unscrupulous means to trick people. If you get a suspicious email, phone call, text message or letter regarding an order you didn’t place, it’s likely a scam. If you are suddenly contacted by someone asking you to update payment information, it’s likely a scam. If you are told there is a problem with your computer or are asked to give remote access to your computer to run a diagnostic test, it is likely a scam. Consumers can best protect themselves by being aware of these and other red flags of scams. Always avoid opening or replying to unfamiliar emails or texts. Folks should also freely hang up the phone on scam artists who call. It is never rude to hang up on someone intent on wrongdoing. Hanging up is the simplest way to avoid putting yourself at risk.
Sources:
Amazon (Official site)
Control the Mess
