NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon Prime Day has emerged, and experts are urging consumers to be wary of the scam.
deception For example, fake emails claiming to be from online retailers. Amazon This is nothing new. Phishing scams According to the Better Business Bureau, sales will increase due to heavy spending during major sales events such as Black Friday and Prime Day.
“This is a big deal for retail,” Josh Planos, vice president of communications and public affairs for the Better Business Bureau, previously said. He told the Associated Press“And that makes it a perfect opportunity for scammers, charlatans, or simply unethical companies and organizations to take advantage of this moment and rob people of their hard-earned money.”
Prime Day is 2 days Discount Event The sale for Amazon Prime members runs from Tuesday to Wednesday, and in updated guidance published last week, the Better Business Bureau warned consumers to be wary of lookalike websites, too-good-to-be-true social media ads and unsolicited emails and phone calls during this month’s sale.
Consumers may need to be more vigilant this year than ever before: In June, the Better Business Bureau released a report saying it received a record number of phishing reports in 2023. The organization said it has also seen an uptick in reports so far this year.
Meanwhile, Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point Software Technologies said in a report this month that more than 1,230 new websites linked to Amazon appeared in June, most of which were malicious or suspicious, Check Point said.
Scott Knapp, Amazon’s director of worldwide buyer risk prevention, cited two areas where the company has seen hoaxes during Prime Days in recent years. Prime Membership and confirmation of order.
last yearFor example, more than two-thirds of scams reported by Amazon customers claim to be related to problems with their orders or accounts, Knapp said in an emailed statement. Customers reported receiving unsolicited phone calls or emails telling them there was a problem with their Prime membership and asking for bank account or other payment information to recover their accounts, Knapp explained.
“It’s also a common tactic at this time of year to urge consumers to check on orders they didn’t make,” he added. Scammers might choose something expensive like a smartphone to grab attention, then again ask for payment information or send malicious links. They might try to lure consumers in by promising freebies or using language that creates a false sense of urgency.
Amazon works to “stop scammers from using our brand to deceive the people who trust us,” Knapp wrote, adding that customers can verify their purchases and messages from the company in the app or website.
There are probably other scams out there, but it’s unclear what form they’ll take before this year’s Prime Day kicks off. Still, experts say the same shopping scams tend to reappear year after year.
“Usually the framework remains the same,” Planos said, pointing to fake delivery scams, email phishing and other recurring techniques. “It’s always a ploy to get consumers away from (their) personal and payment information.”
But Planos and others warn that online hoaxes are constantly evolving and getting more sophisticated: images can look more realistic, text messages can be more convincing and fake websites can closely resemble real shopping sites.
Amazon’s Knapp said: artificial intelligence The scam is “starting to leak” E-commerce Shoppers follow the same approach, but it’s a machine, not a human, that enters the email or text.
According to data from the Federal Trade Commission, consumers reported losing nearly $10 billion to fraud in 2023, a 14% increase from 2022. Online shopping fraud was the second most commonly reported form of fraud after identity theft, according to the FTC.
Both the FTC and the Better Business Bureau are consumer Tips The guidance includes blocking unwanted messages, not providing financial information to unwanted callers, and checking links before clicking them. For example, Planos noted that a secure website URL will include “HTTPS” but not “HTTP.”
Experts say scammers often pressure you to act quickly, so it’s important to take a step back and trust your instincts. Experts also urge consumers to report scams to regulators.
In addition to scams posing as companies or retailers, there are also counterfeit goods and Fake reviews On the sites of trusted retailers. Just because you’re shopping on Amazon doesn’t mean you’re buying from them. Online shopping giantOnline shopping sites like eBay, Walmart, and others have vast third-party marketplaces.
Quality and appearance Counterfeit Planos says the sale of illegal goods has increased significantly in recent years, making it harder to police. A good rule of thumb is to look at the price tags. If an item is selling for less than 75% of its yearly market value, “that’s a pretty big red flag,” he says.
Shady sellers can pop up “at any time” on a variety of platforms, including sites like Amazon, Planos said, urging consumers to check with the Better Business Bureau. WebsiteLike other scams, counterfeit goods are likely to increase during periods of spending spikes.
Amid growing pressure to combat counterfeiting, Amazon has reported removing millions of fake products in recent years. The company also said it has blocked billions of egregious listings from appearing on its site. Amazon said more than 7 million counterfeit products were “identified, seized, and appropriately disposed of” in 2023. The online retailer has also been sued. Lawsuits Against Fake Review Brokers.
Amazon says customers can report fake reviews and other scams. WebsiteAmazon said it would “proactively reach out” to customers to offer refunds if they purchased products it determined to be counterfeit.
