Llanharan Community Council

Llanharan Community Council

8 hours ago

TL;DR: make sure you and your loved ones are aware of new scams by criminals claiming to be from Amazon.

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💰 Tens of thousands of pounds was lost last month to criminals claiming to be from Amazon.

Almost £87,000 was stolen by the scammers in a nine-day period in October, according to the national cybercrime and fraud reporting service Report Fraud.

They say the public should be aware of an emerging trend of crooks impersonating the retail giant.

The trend involves the criminal claiming to be from Amazon and tells them of alleged suspicious activity on their account.

Criminals claim unauthorised items have been added to the victim’s Amazon basket, providing delivery addresses not belonging to the victim, and claiming someone is trying to buy the items using the victim’s bank details.

The criminal tells the victim the transactions can be stopped and their account secured if they share their screen through messaging platforms and download money transfer apps; provide ID for "verification" purposes; download software allowing criminals to take control of the device; or authorise payments or buy gift cards when told urgent action is needed.

ℹ️ But Amazon will never ask you to provide payment information, including gift cards (or "verification cards," as some scammers call them) for products or services over the phone.

Chief Superintendent Amanda Wolf, Head of Report Fraud Operations, said calls about account issues, delivery problems or suspicious activity can catch anyone off guard – especially if purportedly from a brand we know and trust – but that the best defence is to pause.

Chief Supt Wolf added: “Whether somebody claims to be from Amazon, your bank, the police or any other organisation, don't feel pressured into acting immediately. End the conversation, find the genuine contact details yourself and make contact independently.

“If there is a legitimate reason for the contact, the caller will understand why you want to verify who you're speaking to and call back using a trusted and published phone number.

“A few moments of caution can make all the difference.”

An Amazon spokesperson said: “Be wary any time someone tries to convince you that you must act now – scammers may try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they're asking, and they use convincing tactics to reel consumers in.”

Genuine service providers, banks and the police will never call asking you to transfer money, share personal financial details or hand over remote control of your device.

If you’ve received a call that doesn’t feel right, STOP!

👉 Hang up.
👉 Check if it’s genuine: contact the organisation directly using contact details you know are correct, such as those on an official website or app, or by calling 159 if you need to contact your bank.
👉 Don’t trust the caller ID display on your phone – it’s not proof of ID.
👉 Report it by texting 7726 with the word ‘Call’ followed by the scam caller’s number.

Think you’re a victim of fraud? Contact Report Fraud. ... See MoreSee Less