Black Friday is right around the corner, and by the time you finish your Thanksgiving leftovers, Christmas is already knocking. That may be an exaggeration, but what isn't is the increase in impersonation scams as the holiday season approaches.
As shopping is rampant, Amazon is becoming an even bigger target. Expect to see bad actors masquerading as trusted contacts, trying to access sensitive information like Social Security numbers, bank details or Amazon account information.
To help you enjoy scam-free shopping this holiday season, we spoke with Scott Knapp, VP of Worldwide Buyer Risk Prevention at Amazon, to learn how fraudsters are creating a platform, what Amazon is doing to combat holiday scams and how to stay safe. it is safe.
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A woman shopping through the Amazon app (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
The most common Amazon imitation scams
Amazon is the largest e-commerce platform in the world, and it becomes even more important during the holiday season. As many of us are on the hunt for deals, scammers are well aware and ready to take advantage. They often use impersonation scams to trick consumers into giving out card details or other sensitive information.
“During the 2023 holiday shopping season (Black Friday through Christmas Day), the most common impersonation scam reported by Amazon customers involved false ordering or shipping confirmations that claimed payment was required in the U.S. There was a nearly 1.5-fold increase in reports of this scam . since three weeks ago,” said Knapp.
Another common impersonation scam these days involves fake purchase warnings for popular tech products. Knapp said Amazon has seen about a 13x spike in customer reports compared to three weeks ago.
A woman is shopping on Amazon on her laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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What is Amazon doing to keep customers safe?
It's clear that many scammers are trying to target Amazon customers, so I wanted to understand what the company is doing to keep them safe. I asked Knapp a bunch of questions about how the e-tail giant is staying ahead of the latest internet holiday scams, and you can read his answers below.
How is Amazon working to take down phishing websites and phone numbers used in impersonation programs?
“Our goal is to ensure that customers are protected when they shop on Amazon. That's why we're starting to crack down on fraudsters with the cooperation of private and public companies to hold bad actors accountable. We have a team – including machine learning scientists and expert investigators – who protect our store and consumers from fraud and other forms of abuse.
“In 2023 alone, we began taking down more than 40,000 phishing websites and 10,000 phone numbers used as part of impersonation schemes. We can take down reported phone numbers that day and phishing websites in just a few hours. We also cooperate with law enforcement. around the world to ensure that fraudsters are held accountable, including sending hundreds of perpetrators of evil to the authorities.”
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Can you explain how Amazon's email authentication technology helps detect phishing attempts?
“We've made it harder for bad actors to fake Amazon communications by using industry-leading tools, including the adoption of secure email capabilities to make it easier for customers to identify authentic emails from Amazon and avoid phishing attempts. Customers using Gmail, Yahoo, and other traditional email providers can be sure that if they receive an @amazon.com email with a smiley face in their inbox, that email is from for us indeed.
Can you explain Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee and how it protects holiday shoppers?
“When customers shop at the Amazon store, they can do so with peace of mind knowing that we stand behind the products sold in our store with an A-to-Z Guarantee.
“When a claim is filed, Amazon integrates our advanced fraud and abuse detection systems with external, independent insurance experts to analyze files, perform investigative work on our merchant partners, submit valid claims, and deny unsubstantiated, baseless, or abusive claims. By performing this work on behalf of merchants, we save them from having to investigate these claims themselves Establishing this process enables customers to buy with confidence and open sales drives to success my partner.
“Amazon's protection applies to physical products purchased from our store worldwide, and in the unlikely event that customers experience problems with timely delivery or the status of their purchase, whether purchased from Amazon or one of our nearly two million merchant partners, Amazon will prevail. for a refund or exchange whether during the holiday shopping season, or any time of the year, customers can confidently shop Amazon's largest selection of amazing products with Guarantee of A-to-z.”
Image of Amazon website (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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How can Amazon customers stay safe?
1. Watch out for red flags: Some of the signs of an impersonation scam include requests for account or payment information and creating a false sense of urgency. Amazon will never ask for your password, payment or bank transfer by phone, email or any external website. Scammers may refer to a purchase (real or fake), gift, prize or claim that “your account is locked,” and encourage you to click a link, make a payment or buy a gift card.
2. Confirm email: For any order-related questions, always check your order history on Amazon.com or through the “Amazon Shopping” app. Only valid purchases will appear in your order history. If you are unsure of the authenticity of an email, go to the Amazon website or app to access the Message Center and review the authentic communication.
In addition, you should always check the sender's email address by hovering over the word “From” and make sure that it is a real Amazon email, which will come from “@amazon.com.”
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Amazon email (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
3. Beware of phishing links: Avoid clicking on unsolicited links, especially in messages about shopping deals, order confirmations or account problems. Scammers often use fake links to impersonate legitimate sellers and steal your information.
The best way to protect yourself from malicious links is to install anti-virus software on all your devices. This protection can alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
Find my picks for the best antivirus 2024 winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
4. Don't fall for offers that are “too good to be true”: Scammers often lure victims with irresistible deals, such as huge discounts on popular products or “special” offers. If the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. This offer may be tied to fake websites or phishing attempts designed to steal your personal and financial information. Always double check the validity of any deal before buying. If you're not sure, visit Amazon's official site or app to search for a product and compare prices.
5. Use a personal data deletion service: Scammers can get your information from a variety of online sources, including data brokers, people search sites and public records. Using a data removal service can help reduce your digital footprint, making it harder for fraudsters to access your personal information. This quick action can be critical in preventing identity theft and reducing the chances of becoming a victim of a scam during the busy holiday season.
While no service promises to remove all of your data from the Internet, having a removal service is great if you want to stay on top of it and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites over a long period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.
6. Report suspicious activity: If you come across a phishing scam, your best course of action is to report it to Amazon. Knapp says, “The more consumers report scams to us, the better our tools are at identifying bad actors so we can take action against them and protect consumers. If consumers suspect they've encountered a scam, they can report suspicious communications to us. at amazon.com/ReportAScam, so we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”
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The key to take Kurt
Scammers will do everything in their power to ruin your holiday season, but most of their tricks can be easily avoided with the right tools and a little common sense. Be aware of unsolicited texts, emails or phone calls that offer deals, discounts or ask for your personal information. When you shop on Amazon, track everything through the Amazon app and reach out to customer support with any concerns or questions.
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What features or tools do you wish online retailers would implement to improve customer safety during peak shopping periods? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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