Black Friday is fast approaching, and by the time you finish eating your Thanksgiving leftovers, Christmas will already be around the corner. That may be an exaggeration, but what it isn't is that identity fraud is on the rise as the holiday season approaches.
As shopping ramps up, Amazon has become a particularly big target. Expect malicious actors to pose as trusted contacts and attempt to access sensitive information such as social security numbers, bank details, and Amazon account credentials.
To help you enjoy a fraud-free shopping experience this holiday season, we spoke with Scott Knapp, vice president of Amazon Worldwide Buyer Risk Prevention, to learn more about how scammers impersonate the platform and learn more about Amazon's holiday shopping experience. I learned what we do to fight fraud and how we can stay that way. safety.
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Woman shopping on Amazon app (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
The most common Amazon impersonation scams
Amazon is the world's largest e-commerce platform, and it becomes even more relevant during the holiday season. Since so many of us are looking for a deal, scammers are well aware of that and are ready to take advantage of it. They often use identity fraud to trick shoppers into handing over their card details and other sensitive information.
“During the 2023 holiday shopping season (Black Friday through Christmas), the most commonly reported impersonation scams by Amazon customers include fake orders or delivery confirmations that claim payment is due in the United States. Reports of this scam have increased nearly 1.5 times over the past three weeks,” Knapp said.
Another common identity fraud scam during this period involves fake purchase alerts for popular tech products. Knapp said Amazon has seen a 13-fold jump in customer reports compared to three weeks ago.
Woman shopping on Amazon on laptop (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
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What is Amazon doing to keep its customers safe?
It's clear that many scammers are targeting Amazon customers, so we wanted to understand what Amazon is doing to keep its customers safe. I asked Knapp a bunch of questions about how the e-commerce giant is staying ahead of the latest online holiday scams. You can read his answer below.
How does Amazon take down phishing websites and phone numbers used for identity theft?
“Our goal is to ensure our customers are protected when shopping on Amazon. That's why we're launching a public-private partnership to take down fraudsters and hold bad actors accountable. We have a team of machine learning scientists and expert investigators who protect our stores and consumers from fraud and other forms of abuse.
“In 2023 alone, we began taking down over 40,000 phishing websites and over 10,000 phone numbers being used as part of spoofing schemes. Only 2 sites We are also partners with law enforcement agencies around the world to ensure scammers are held accountable, including reporting hundreds of bad actors to authorities.”
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Can you explain how Amazon's email verification technology helps identify phishing attacks?
“By implementing industry-leading tools, including the introduction of secure email features that make it easy for customers to identify genuine emails from Amazon and avoid phishing attacks, we Customers using Gmail, Yahoo and other popular email providers now have a smiley face logo in their inboxes. When you receive an email from us, you can be sure that the email is really from us.
Can you explain Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee and how it protects holiday shoppers?
“When customers shop at Amazon Store, they can do so with confidence knowing that we stand behind the products sold in our store. Fully guaranteed.
“Once a claim is submitted, Amazon combines our advanced fraud and abuse detection systems with external, independent insurance experts to analyze the claim, undertake investigative work for our reseller partners, and present a valid claim. and reject unfounded, frivolous, or fraudulent claims. By doing this work for sellers, we innovate this process so they can shop with confidence. and lead to success for our sales partners.
“Amazon's protections apply to physical products purchased in our stores around the world, and in the unlikely event that a customer buys from Amazon or one of our approximately 2 million reseller partners, delivery times and If there's a problem with the condition of your purchase, Amazon has you covered. Whether it's during the holiday shopping season or any time of the year, customers can enjoy Amazon's wide selection of great products with our A-to-Z Guarantee. You can buy with confidence.”
Amazon website image (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
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How can Amazon customers stay safe?
1. Be aware of the red flags: Telltale signs of identity theft include requests for account or payment information and creating a false sense of urgency. Amazon will never request passwords, payments, or bank transfers by phone, email, or external website. Scammers may mention purchases (real or fake), giveaways, prizes, or claim “your account is locked” so you can click on a link, make a payment, or receive a gift card. encourage you to purchase.
2. Check your email. If you have any questions about your order, please be sure to check your order history on Amazon.com or the Amazon Shopping app. Only eligible purchases appear in your order history. If you're not sure if an email is legitimate, visit Amazon's website or app and access the Message Center to check for genuine communications.
Additionally, you should always check the sender's email address by hovering over the “From” name to ensure it is a genuine Amazon email sent from “@amazon.com”.
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amazon email (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
3. Beware of phishing links: Don't click on random links, especially in messages about shopping transactions, order confirmations, or account issues. Scammers often use fake links to imitate legitimate retailers and steal information.
The best way to protect yourself from malicious links is to install antivirus software on all your devices. This protection also warns you about phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
4. Don't be fooled by offers that seem “too good to be true.” Scammers often lure victims with attractive deals, such as deep discounts or “exclusive” offers on popular products. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. These offers may be associated with fake websites or phishing attempts aimed at stealing personal or financial information. Always double-check the legitimacy of the transaction before purchasing. If you're not sure, visit the official Amazon website or app to search for products and compare prices.
5. Use a personal data deletion service. Scammers can obtain your information from a variety of online sources, including data brokers, people search sites, and public records. Using a data deletion service reduces your digital footprint and makes it harder for fraudsters to access your personal information. This proactive step is critical to preventing identity theft and minimizing your chances of becoming a victim of fraud during the busy holiday season.
No service promises to remove all data from the Internet, but if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing information from hundreds of sites over an extended period of time, a removal service is a good option. is the best. Check out my recommended data deletion services here.
6. Report suspicious activity. If you encounter an identity theft scam, the best thing to do is to report it to Amazon. “The more consumers report fraud to us, the better our tools become at identifying bad actors so we can take action against them and protect consumers,” Knapp said. If consumers suspect they have encountered fraud, they can report suspicious communications to us. Protect your account and help keep consumers safe by reporting bad actors to law enforcement at amazon.com/ReportAScam. ”
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Cart important points
Scammers will do everything they can to ruin your holiday season, but most of their tactics are easy to avoid with the right tools and a little common sense. Be wary of unsolicited texts, emails, and phone calls that offer deals or discounts or request personal information. If you're shopping on Amazon, track everything through the Amazon app and contact customer support with any concerns or questions.
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