Prime Day gets underway tomorrow morning, with Amazon slashing prices across thousands of popular products, from its Amazon Echo smart speakers to Kindles, garden furniture to clothes, and much more. This two-day sales bonanza is a great time for anyone with a Prime account to grab a bargain but it also comes with a warning. Security experts have issued a word of caution to all customers. You should be on high alert for scams that could leave accounts and bank details exposed to cyber thieves, they’ve warned.
It’s no secret that Amazon users are often targeted by scammers with criminals using a number of techniques aimed at accessing personal data. These attacks range from phishing emails and texts to actual phone calls that claim to be from the online retailer.
As Amazon explains on its website, “Fraudsters are experts at impersonating businesses, using email, call or text messages in an attempt to obtain your sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, one-time passcodes, access to your device and credit card or bank details.”
Amazon scams aren’t anything new but with millions of us expected to go shopping on Prime Day, there could be an explosion in attacks.
READ MORE: WhatsApp is planning another change on iPhone and Android
“Scammers are attracted to special online events like moths to a flame. There is the potential that customers will see a sizeable increase in calls, emails and texts attempting to entice people into parting with their cash. said Jake Moore, the Cybersecurity Specialist at ESET.
“Events such as Prime Day act like beacons to cybercriminals and it is vital that people are made aware of their tactics and to not fall for their manipulative techniques. Furthermore, it is important that people never part with their Amazon password.
“If there is ever a warning there may be a problem with your account it is advised to go direct to the app installed on your phone rather than clicking on links in emails or text messages.”
And Tony Pepper, CEO of cybersecurity firm Egress, added: “Prime Day presents a perfect opportunity for scammers to try to steal your details – or even your money – using phishing emails.
“Last year’s Prime Day promotion saw Action Fraud inundated with hundreds of reports of suspicious emails, and it’s likely that cybercriminals will try to take advantage of Amazon customers once again. If you have received an email claiming to be from Amazon that you believe to be suspicious, we’d urge you to notify Action Fraud using their online reporting service.”
It’s important to remember that Amazon will never contact you and ask for your Amazon password, remote access to your computer any Credit, Debit or Bank Details.
The firm also states that it won’t ask customers to enter an Amazon one-time passcode anywhere outside of the Amazon platform to make payments.
Published at Sun, 20 Jun 2021 06:54:00 +0000
WARNING: These Amazon Prime Day scams will cost you, here's how to avoid them
