BBB warns about scammers impersonating Amazon representatives as Prime Day draws thousands of customers

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -As the deals roll out on Amazon Prime Day, the Better Business is warning shoppers about scammers trying to take advantage of them.

The experts tracking the trend say no matter the rendition, scammers pretending to be Amazon employees are after your personal information.

The BBB is warning that scammers are reaching out to Amazon shoppers, pretending to be a representative with the company.

They’re leaving messages ranging from fraudulent charges on your Prime card to a lost or damaged package.

The pandemic delayed Prime Day this year. So, consumer experts say Tuesday somewhat marks the kickoff of holiday shopping.

The BBB says con artists will either outright ask for credit card and account login details.

Or, they will request remote access to your computer under the guise of “helping” to solve the issue.

But know that Amazon will never ask you to disclose sensitive information like a tax ID or credit card information over the phone.

Here’s how the BBB recommends people protect themselves:

• Be skeptical of email and unsolicited calls. Some departments at Amazon will call customers, but Amazon will never ask you to disclose or verify sensitive personal information or offer you a refund you do not expect. Amazon will never ask you to make a payment outside of their website and will never ask you for remote access to your device.
• Ignore unsolicited messages that ask for personal information. Amazon will also never send you an unsolicited message that asks you to provide sensitive personal information, such as your tax ID, bank account number or credit card information.
• Ignore calls for immediate action. Scammers try to get you to act before you think by creating a sense of urgency. Don’t fall for it.
• Beware of requests to pay via wire transfer, prepaid debit card or CashApp ((MoneyPak, iTunes or similar cards). These are almost always a sign of fraud.
• Report it to Amazon. Any customer that receives a questionable email or call from a person impersonating an Amazon employee report them to Amazon customer service. Amazon investigates these complaints and will takes action, if warranted.

Amazon posted a statement on its website, asking people to report the calls to the Federal Trade Commission. if they get them... saying

In another twist in this con, experts say scammers are spoofing the BBB’s number to make some of the calls. So, just because your caller ID thinks it knows who’s calling, don’t be too quick to trust the person.

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