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Amazon has issued an urgent security warning to all 220 million Prime members worldwide. If you subscribe to the popular loyalty scheme, you must be aware of three new rules for shoppers.
Cybercriminals are attempting to steal your Amazon Prime login details and personal data with convincing impersonation tactics, the US retailer has warned. For example, hackers create a lookalike account and ask unsuspecting Amazon shoppers to complete routine tasks like paying an invoice, sharing a file, or clicking a harmful link.
But instead of the information being sent to Amazon, the lookalike site sends your sensitive information directly to the cybercriminals running the scams.
Amazon dediced to take action after spotting a notable spike in deceptive communications targeting its Prime subscribers. Not only were there more scams, but these have become sophisticated enough to trouble the security teams at Amazon to take immediate action to protect those who pay £95 a year for its Prime service.
The US retailer has noticed five different types of scam aimed at Prime subscribers. Shielding yourself against these online attacks requires millions of Prime members to follow three simple steps outlined below.
GETTY | Amazon Prime Scammers' primary method involves sending you bogus emails that falsely claim your Prime membership will renew at an unexpected cost
Amazon has identified five main categories you should watch for —
- Alerts about fake problems with your Amazon Prime membership
- Fraudulent alerts about your Amazon account being suspended
- Fake order confirmations
- Fake technical support
- Fraudulent job offers within Amazon
The company stresses it never solicits sensitive details through unsolicited messages.
Scammers' primary method involves sending you bogus emails that falsely claim your Prime membership will renew at an unexpected cost. These messages are crafted to look authentic, often incorporating personal information obtained from external data breaches to increase their credibility.
If you receive such an email, you'll typically find a "cancel subscription" button that criminals hope you'll click in panic. This link doesn't lead to Amazon but instead takes you to a sophisticated fake website mimicking Amazon's login page.
Should you enter your credentials on these counterfeit sites, the fraudsters gain immediate access to your genuine Amazon account. They can then make unauthorised purchases using your stored payment methods.
Some fake sites go further, requesting payment details and additional personal data that criminals either exploit directly or sell illegally on underground marketplaces.
Amazon strongly advises you to take extra precautions by following these rules:
- To verify any suspicious messages, check your Message Centre within your actual Amazon account. This secure area contains all legitimate communications from the company, allowing you to confirm whether an email is genuine.
- You should enable two-step verification immediately to add crucial protection to your account. This security feature makes it significantly harder for criminals to access your details even if they obtain your password.
- Never click links in unexpected emails claiming to be from Amazon. Instead, access your account directly through the official website or app when you need to check your membership status.
The UK has launched the Online Fraud Charter in partnership with major tech companies like Amazon to help combat fraudsters. Actions taking place from this agreement include:
- Verifying new advertisers
- Removing fraudulent content
- Verification on peer-to-peer marketplaces (Ex: Airbnb, Etsy, etc.)
- Removal of illegal adverts on age-restricted products
Similarly, in the US, Amazon has partnered with the Better Business Bureau to create a scam prevention database. You can report suspicious activity through Amazon's dedicated channels or the BBB Scam Tracker to help protect other customers.
These attacks won't only reach you through email, either. Calls or texts can all be fabricated to make you panic into immediate action.
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