Amazon Prime Day is approaching on Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 17. As you get ready to score some great deals, be cautious—fraudsters are also gearing up to exploit the occasion.
A popular scam involves fraudsters creating fake Amazon lookalike websites to trick shoppers. They often send phishing emails with enticing Amazon offers to lure victims.
Sectank reports that over a thousand new Amazon-related domains were created in June 2024 alone, with about 85 percent deemed malicious or suspicious. These fake sites typically ask for your Amazon login credentials, which scammers then use to take over your account and make unauthorized purchases or sell your data.
Scammers often register official-sounding domains like “amazon-onboarding,” “shopamazon,” “amazon-billing,” or “connect-amazon.” They might also use country identifiers to mimic regional Amazon stores, though these are just .com addresses.
How to Protect Yourself from Fake Amazon Phishing Sites:
- Examine Emails Closely: Pay close attention to all emails, even if they appear legitimate. Verify every detail to ensure you’re not dealing with a copycat.
- Never Share Sensitive Information: Amazon or its partners will never ask for login details or other sensitive information via email. Be suspicious of any email requesting such information.
- Verify Links: Hover over links to ensure they lead to an official Amazon site. For added security, manually type the domain into your web browser instead of clicking links.
- Check for HTTPS: When visiting websites, always look for “HTTPS” at the start of the URL, indicating a secure, encrypted connection.
- Assess Offers Carefully: Scrutinize every deal before making a purchase. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers often use such tactics, similar to the Amazon triangle scam, to deceive consumers.