Shoppers using Amazon Prime have been tipped off to a major phishing scam that appears to have resurfaced across the country. Criminals are targeting victims via an automated phone call claiming that they have opened an Amazon Prime account and that they should "press one" to cancel the transaction. However, this will connect the call to a scammer posing as an Amazon customer service representative, according to the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) warning.
Amazon Prime scam
The scammer informs the recipient of the call that their subscription was fraudulently purchased due to an alleged "security breach" on the target person's computer. The fake Amazon representative then requests remote access to the recipient's computer, supposedly to fix the security breach. Remote access provides control access that allows scammers to steal personal information, including passwords and banking information. The CTSI also uncovered an email version of the same scam, again using the Amazon Prime hook, which has around eight million users in the UK. The electronic version of this scam sees the victim receive a message stating that she has started an Amazon Music subscription billed at €28.99 per month. The email then asks the recipient to click a link if they want to unsubscribe and receive a refund, but the page they're redirected to to enter their card details and receive a refund will be sent instead. your contact details to scammers. "Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are spending more time at home and more people are using internet platforms for shopping than ever before. Phishing scams targeting users of major platforms like Amazon have been around for a long time, but the current crisis it has made them more vulnerable," said Katherine Hart, CEO of CTSI. "Amazon will never cold call customers, or request remote computer access or pay over the phone. Do not give any details to the caller and always verify directly with Amazon by logging into your official account and contacting the customer service ". The CTSI adds that anyone who receives these calls or emails should report them to Action Fraud or, if in Scotland, report them to Police Scotland by dialing 101.