Amazon shoppers conned into handing over personal details in new scam

Scammers have tricked customers into handing over personal details, posing as Amazon. 

Amazon users have been received automated telephone calls saying they have opened an Amazon Prime account which costs £79 a year or £7.99 a month. 

They are then told if they want to cancel to press ‘one’. This then transfers the call to a fraudster, pretending to be an Amazon worker who explains it to be a ‘security flaw’ on their computer. 

They then have asked the victim to give them remote access to their computer, allowing them to steal personal information such as passwords and bank details.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute explains that there is also an email version of the fraud which in a similar vein explains that the victim has signed up for Amazon music (£28.99 a month).

IF they want to cancel they have to click a link and receive a refund. They are then prompted to input their card details. 

Katherine Hart, Lead Officer at CTSI, said: “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.

“Amazon will never cold-call customers, nor ask for remote computer access or payment 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 customer support. “

Which? has also reported scams on Facebook and Google and a spike in fake Facebook ads selling rip-off clothing in the pandemic.

New rules came into place in March which asks six of the biggest banks to alert customers when a payee name is different to the one registered to an account. 

There are also warns of scams relating to the NHS trace and test where people are taking hundreds of pounds out of peoples account ‘in exchange for a testing kit’. If the NHS contacts you, they will not ask for personal details upfront. 

If you think you have been a victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud. Be careful out there!