Is it normal for Amazon to call you?

Many people are getting calls from Amazon about a problem with their account. How to know if it is real or a scam.

By: John Matarese

Posted at 11:39 AM, Apr 01, 2021

and last updated 2021-04-01 12:41:45-04

Many of us have been ordering more items from Amazon during the pandemic. Sometimes you don't remember exactly what you ordered, which makes it easy to fall for the latest phone scam, which involves a slick call warning you of a problem with your Amazon account.

One almost-victim, Kimberly Moore, was at her health administrator job when she received a strange call on her cell.

"This call is regarding your purchase from Amazon.com," the caller said. "You made a transaction for $529."

Moore knew she never made any such purchase, but she was worried enough to consider calling a number the message provided for her — one the message claimed would "get it all straightened out for you," she said.

Instead, she checked her Amazon account and confirmed there was no such $529 order.

Caller claims fraudulent activity, stresses urgency

Amazon customers across the country are getting calls like hers. Sometimes, the automated call asks them to press a number to speak with a live operator. The caller says it is urgent.

"That order seemed to be fraudulent," one call said."Press 1 to speak with an Amazon fraud department executive."

Don't. The FTC issued an alert saying that if you press 1, an agent will ask for the credit card number attached to the account or, in some cases, more personal information.

It's all a scam.

Amazon will email you personally — with your name — if there is ever any account issue.

Moore is glad she checked her account online before calling the number back.

"I figured it was a fraud, but I was like, 'Gosh, is there $500 now missing from my account?'" she said.

Luckily, her account was fine.

If you get a call you're still not quite sure about, ask the caller to read you your account number: Chances are they have no idea what it is. Just don't give it to them.

That way, you don't waste your money.
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Many of us have received an email (or text, or call)—it looks like it's from Amazon, but something seems off. It may say you've won a raffle, or that there is suspicious activity on your Amazon account.

Truth is, it's likely the only suspicious activity there is the message itself—because it's a scam. And if you feel like you have been getting a lot more of these spammy calls and texts, you're not alone.

Cyberattacks Can Have Serious Consequences

In a report published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Amazon was the most frequently impersonated business. About one in three people who reported a business impersonator to the FTC between June 2020 and June 2021 said the person on the other line claimed to be from Amazon.

About 96,000 people said they were targeted, with 6,000 reporting they lost money—an average of $1,000 per victim. Sadly, many of the victims were people 60 years or older, who were four times more likely to report losing money to an Amazon scam—an average of $1,500 according to the FTC's report.

Cyberattacks like these can be harmful to your financial and personal security, and can even lead to identify theft.

"If you don't put yourself through rigorous checks, you're going to get hit at some point," says Nick Santora, a certified cybersecurity expert. "The reality is that it's not 'if' but 'when' a phishing attack will happen."

Here's how you can get better at identifying and preventing such Amazon scams—and what you can do if you do become the victim of one.

Identify Amazon Scam Calls and Messages

The first step is to know how to identify these scam messages, also known as phishing attacks.

"Email (phishing) or text (SMS phishing, 'smishing') scams are an easy way for hackers to steal money by pretending to be someone you trust," Santora explains.

An example of a phishing attempt could be an email (like the one below), asking you to immediately change your password. There are several ways to tell that this email is fake. First, the sender's email address ends in ".info"—real Amazon emails will always end in "@amazon.com" or any of these listed emails (some vary by country or region).

Next, Amazon will never ask for your login credentials or other personal information like in the email below. Messages that have a sense of urgency and are asking you to take action immediately are red flags, too. "Email should be used as a notification system, not a shortcut," says Santora. Also, keep an eye out for any spelling or grammatical errors in the message.

Some Amazon phishing attempts may also ask you to pay by gift card or send pictures of gift cards. According to the FTC, if someone asks you to give them the numbers on the back of a gift card, it's a scam.

Avoid Clicking on Links in Fake Amazon Messages

When you're reading one of these messages, don't click on any links or attachments, or download anything. "If there is a link, don't click," warns Santora. Instead, hover over the link to examine the URL and verify the source.

Any texts you get from Amazon saying you have won a prize are also scams, and you should avoid clicking on the link. "This could be a gateway for scammers to gain access to your financial information," says Christopher Liew, CFA and founder of the personal finance platform, WealthAwesome.

Liew also says to watch out for Amazon scammers who contact you about your account being suspended—they will usually request you to install a remote access tool that will immediately restore your Amazon account.

What it really does is enable them easy access to your phone or computer. "This will allow them to look for sensitive information such as log-in credentials for your Amazon account, social media accounts, as well as online banking accounts," explains Liew.

You can defend yourself against phishing attempts by not following any of the instructions in these messages, and by never giving out personal information online or over the phone. If you have any doubts about your account or about an order, call Amazon directly to verify the information, instead of engaging with a scam call or text.

Amazon has a form where you can report phishing attempts and scams.

What to Do if You've Been Scammed

Unfortunately, cyberattacks are on the rise. "These scams are increasing due to the growing amount of public information that's available," says Santora.

If you become a victim of an Amazon phishing attack and have money stolen, report it to your bank or credit card company to see if you can dispute the charges.

You should also report the scam to the FTC, which has a Report Fraud page. Once you file a report here, the FTC might file an enforcement action and try to get your money back.

Change the passwords to your Amazon account and other important financial and personal log-ins. Overall, the best thing you can do is to stay alert for phishing attempts and know how to verify messages to keep your money and personal information safe.

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