Beware of telephone calls being made by fraudsters pretending to be from Amazon
North Yorkshire Police have had reports of calls being made from individuals claiming your Amazon Prime subscription is due to expire, and will be automatically taken from your account. The recorded message asks you to press 1 to cancel or to speak to customer services. The call then goes through to a fraudster posing as an Amazon customer service representative.
The fraudster advises the victim that remote access to their computer is required, and instructs them to download an app which grants the fraudster access to their computer.
The software is then mis-used by the criminal to monitor the victim logging onto their online bank account, which allows the fraudster to see the victim’s personal and financial details.
If you receive a call, claiming to be from Amazon, HANG UP!
Do not provide any personal information, your Amazon log in details, banking details or credit/debit card information.
Never install any software or visit a website as a result of a cold call. Unsolicited requests for remote access to your computer should always raise a red flag.
If you think you may have been a victim of this scam, please contact your bank immediately and report this to us on 101 or via our website Home | North Yorkshire Police
Some useful information from Amazon and how to identify and avoid these types of scams.
Scammers are creative and they constantly devise new schemes, exploit new technologies and change tactics to avoid detection. Stay safe by learning to identify and avoid scams.
Prime membership scams:
These are unexpected calls/texts/emails that refer to a costly membership fee or an issue with your membership and ask you to confirm or cancel the charge. These scammers try to convince you to provide payment or bank account information in order to reinstate a membership.
Amazon will never ask you to provide payment information for products or services over the phone. Visit the Message Centre on Amazon.co.uk or on our app to review authentic emails from Amazon. To verify your Prime Membership status or make payments, log into your Amazon account, and go to Your Account.
Account suspension/Deletion scams:
Scammers send texts, emails and phone calls stating that your account will be suspended or deleted and prompt you to click on a fraudulent link or verbally provide information to “verify your account.” Customers who land on these pages or receive these phone calls are then lured to provide account information such as payment information or account login credentials.
Amazon will never ask you to disclose your password or verify sensitive personal information over the phone or on any website other than Amazon.co.uk. Please do not click on any links or provide your information to anyone over the phone without authenticating the email or phone call. If you have questions about the status of your account, go directly to Amazon.co.uk or on our app to view your account details, including the Message Centre which displays a log of communications sent from Amazon.
Here are some important tips to identify scams and keep your account and information safe:
Trust Amazon-owned channels.
Always go through the Amazon mobile app or website when seeking customer service, tech support, or when looking to make changes to your account.
Be wary of false urgency.
Scammers may try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they're asking. Be wary any time someone tries to convince you that you must act now.
Never pay over the phone.
Amazon will never ask you to provide payment information, including gift cards (or “verification cards,” as some scammers call them) for products or services over the phone.
Verify links first.
Legitimate Amazon websites contain "amazon.co.uk" or "amazon.co.uk/support." Go directly to our website when seeking help with Amazon devices/services, orders or to make changes to your account.
