Some advice about scams? Stay calm. Con artists use that feeling of alarm to trick victims to acting before they can think.&8239;BBB Scam Tracker&8239;is seeing reports of a con that claims that your Amazon, Paypal, or other account has been compromised. Scammers hope youll panic and fall for their scheme.
How the Scam Works
You receive an email, call, or text message informing you theres been suspicious activity in your bank or another account, such as Amazon, Netflix, or PayPal. You need to take immediate action to prevent your account from being compromised or to avoid being charged for a fraudulent purchase. Dont fall for it!
The email version of this con uses the companys logo, colors, and language to make the message look just like an official alert. A link in the message leads to website that asks for your account number, login and password information, or even your Social Security or Social Insurance number. If you share this information, you could become the victim of identity theft and fraud.&8239;
In the phone version, the caller claims to have noticed an expensive charge, which you didnt make, on your account. Some victims told&8239;BBB Scam Tracker&8239;that the caller pushed them to download phony security software to their phone or computer. This is really malware, which gave scammers access to sensitive information, such as passwords, stored on their devices.
In other versions, the caller insists you need to buy pre-paid gift or debit cards in order to reverse the fraudulent charges and secure your account. One victim told&8239;BBB Scam Tracker&8239;that they received a call from the Amazon verification department. After noticing fraudulent purchases, Amazon allegedly put a hold on their account. In order to lift the hold, the scam caller convinced the victim to buy $200 of Google Play cards. This was needed to use the codes to cancel the orders. [The scammer] said I needed to do it right away; the account could only be on hold for a short time.
How to Avoid Compromised Account Scam:
Be extra cautious with unsolicited calls, emails, and texts.&8239;Dont be quick to believe claims from unsolicited communications.
Understand how businesses handle communications.&8239;If you know how disputes and suspicious activity is handled, it will be easier to spot a scam. For example,&8239;PayPal&8239;clearly states that they will never send you an email asking you for sensitive information like your password or ask you to download attachments or software.
Look into the claims.&8239;Dont take action without first verifying the claims. Log into your account or look up the companys official phone number (check your bill or welcome email) and call them to confirm that there really is a case of suspicious activity associated with your account before you decide what to do.
Dont panic and dont feel intimidated.&8239;Scammers want you to panic. They may use&8239;intimidation tactics&8239;to pressure you into giving up your personal information or making payments. Legitimate businesses will not intimidate you in this way. Stay calm and think things through before you act.
Never give your personal information to strangers.&8239;If you arent speaking or corresponding with someone you know and trust, dont give them sensitive information.
For More Information
On BBB.org, read more about scams&8239;impersonating Amazon&8239;and how to&8239;protect yourself from phishing cons.
If youve been the victim of this or a similar scam, report it to&8239;BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help educate other consumers by raising awareness of scammers tactics.
Amazon, Netflix, and Paypal are BBB Accredited Businesses.