AMAZON shoppers are being targeted by a devious new online scam that tries to nab customers' bank account details. Here's how to avoid the new scam and keep your details safe.
WATCH OUT: Amazon customers are being targeted by an online scam
Fake emails claiming to be from online retail firm Amazon have been mailed-out in an attempt to steal consumers' bank account details.
The scam emails claim try to trick Amazon users by claiming there was a problem with a recent order from the shopping site.
Customers have to confirm "certain information" to resolve the issue – or face losing access to their Amazon account, the fraudulent email claims.
The scam email invites customers to click on a hyperlink that purports to users to the Amazon website.
However, the URL actually leads to a fake phishing site – designed to look exactly like the genuine article – that siphons off any details you input into the form in an effort to "re-verify their account".
Similar phishing scams were recently mailed out to Apple iPhone users and Netflix subscribers.
Fortunately, Amazon has advice on its website to help customers identify fake emails or phishing attempts.
"E-mails from Amazon will never ask you for personal information," it claims.
If you receive a suspicious e-mail, Amazon has a number of tips to help you quickly determine whether it's a genuine email from the online shopping company.
Suspicious e-mails often contain –
An order confirmation for an item you didn't purchase or an attachment to what looks like an order confirmation.
- Note: Go to Your Orders to see if there's an order that matches the details in the e-mail. If it doesn't match an order, the message isn't from Amazon. Amazon never puts attachments on order confirmation e-mails.
Requests for your Amazon.co.uk username and/or password, or other personal information. Personal information includes things like: your National Insurance number, your credit card number, PIN number, or credit card security code, or your mother's maiden name.
- Note: Amazon will never ask for personal information to be supplied by e-mail.
Requests to update payment information through a link in the e-mail. Amazon e-mails would include instructions on how to verify account information through the Amazon.co.uk website.
- Note: Go to Your Account and click Manage Payment Options in the Payments section. If you aren't prompted to update your payment method on that screen, the message isn't from Amazon.
Amazon will never ask for you to input your details via email
Links to websites that look like Amazon.co.uk, but aren't Amazon.
- Note: Legitimate sites have a dot before "amazon.co.uk" such as http://"something".amazon.co.uk (usually "www"). Sites such as "payments-amazon.com" aren't Amazon sites. We'll also never send e-mails with links to an IP address (string of numbers), such as "http://123.456.789.123/amazon.co.uk/".
Attachments or prompts to install software on your computer.
Typos or grammatical errors.
Forged e-mail addresses to make it look like the e-mail is coming from Amazon.co.uk.
- Note: If the "from" line of the e-mail contains an Internet Service Provider (ISP) other than @amazon.co.uk, then it's a fraudulent e-mail.
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