Amazon Prime Day Scams to Avoid

Amazon Prime Day has become a growing opportunity for scammers, who send real-looking emails about subscriptions, tracking information for packages, and more – all designed to steal your  money, your identity, or both.

As more of us rush to find deals, the fraudsters are also rushing to use increasingly advanced tactics – including AI – to exploit unsuspecting consumers.

These are the the types of phishing scams being reported to Amazon by customers, so you can recognize them and avoid them –

See also

Scam Alert – Confirm Your Order

Scam Alert – Online Payment Programs Venmo and Zell

Phishing Emails & Texts from Airlines, Medicare, Microsoft

• Scammers are sending fake emails claiming your Amazon Prime subscription will automatically renew at an unexpected price.
• The scammers might include personal information in the emails, obtained from other sources, in an attempt to appear legitimate.
• These emails may also include a “cancel subscription” button leading to a fake Amazon login page.
• Do not click on any links in these messages – scammers use fake websites to steal your Amazon login credentials and banking information.

Scams can typically be ignored with no action. However, here are some suggested actions that may be applicable:

• If you want to verify your Prime membership, open your Amazon mobile app or go directly to Amazon.com.
• Select “Prime” from the main menu to view your membership status, renewal dates, and plan details.
• If you clicked on any suspicious links, monitor your credit/debit card statements for unfamiliar charges and contact your bank immediately about any unauthorized transactions.
• Report suspicious communications to amazon.com/reportascam.
• Always access Amazon directly through the mobile app or by typing amazon.com in your browser.
• To find out if a message is really from Amazon, visit the Message Center under “Your Account.” Legitimate messages from Amazon will appear there.
• Enable two-step verification for your Amazon account through the Login & Security settings or visit amazon.com/2SV.

Fraudulent Tracking From USPS

Despite Amazon’s growing ability to deliver its own packages,  it still relies heavily on USPS – the US Postal Service, which most of us call, simply, the Post Office, for a substantial portion of its deliveries, especially in rural and remote areas.

Cyber Defense Magazine reports that USPS was one of the most frequently imitated brands in phishing scams in 2024, as scammers created fake notifications and impersonated its services to trick consumers.

Scammers have used this association to craft phishing emails that look like official USPS notifications, including fake tracking updates or delivery failure alerts, exploiting the trust consumers have in USPS.

Avoiding Scams Powered by AI

It used to be enough to hover over a link or check the sender’s email might have been enough in the past, but today’s AI-powered scams are designed to bypass these simple checks.

Fake websites can appear high in search engine rankings, so searching for a company’s name directly still might lead you to a scam.

Take Safer Actions:

Cyber Defense Magazine advises the safest way to check your orders or get customer support is through the official app or by typing the URL directly into your browser.

Avoid clicking on links from emails or text messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted source. Scammers are skilled at creating urgency to make you click without thinking.

Utilize Advanced Security Tools:

As the human eye is no longer sufficient to detect today’s sophisticated scams, security tools that provide real-time protection can help detect phishing attempts, block malicious websites and warn you about potential scams before they reach people.

As scammers continue to evolve their tactics with AI, having this extra layer of security is crucial.

The reality is simple: as scams become more sophisticated, so must you.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is an award-winning journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is President Emeritus of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA).

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter also is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA).

Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.

Copyright (C) Evelyn Kanter

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