November 21st 2016
As the Christmas shopping season gets into full swing and Black Friday/Cyber Monday approach, fraudsters are sending thousands of emails claiming be to from Amazon, once again exploiting online people’s anxiety to bag a bargain on these busiest of shopping days. The emails inform recipients that there is a problem with their order being shipped, which may result in non-delivery.
It goes on to say that you will not be able to access your Amazon account until you can confirm certain confirmation, via a link at the bottom of the email which takes you to an authentic-looking but fake website requesting your personal details. Once the details have been entered and the ‘Save & Continue’ button clicked, you will be automatically redirected to the Amazon site, oblivious that you have been defrauded, your identity stolen, or both.
Using your details, the fraudsters will be able to use your details to make purchases in your name and potentially also open financial products in your name. Alternatively, if such an email contains an attachment, you will probably find that clicking on it will result in your computer or mobile device being infected by malware.
This is an opportunistic scam that is being perpetrated in the sure knowledge that many shoppers will have ordered goods from Amazon, and will be keen to know the progress of their order.
How to protect yourself
– Be wary of any emails instructing you to click on a link or open an attachment to update details or resolve a ‘problem’ with your account.
– Enter your account details only on the genuine Amazon website, or the official Amazon app.
– Ensure the payment page is secure by checking that the address has ‘https’ (the ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’) in front of it and that there is a green padlock in the browser window.
– Check bank statements regularly and monitor your credit report for anything unusual.
