As consumers look forward to Prime Day deals, it’s essential to stay alert for potential scams.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has issued a warning about email messages that appear to be from legitimate stores. “It’s an email that may have logos taken from a legitimate company, in this case, Amazon. It could have offers that appear to be real, but then there are links within the email that can pull information from your computer,” warns Cinthya Lavin, BBB spokesperson.
A poll A recent survey by Retail-Me-Not, a leading deal site, indicates that consumers are tightening their budgets this Prime Day. The survey, which included more than 1,000 participants, revealed that the average Prime Day shopper plans to spend $250 this year, a notable drop from $388 in 2022 and a significant decrease from $594 in 2021.
Spotting scams during Amazon Prime Day
However, no matter how much or how little you spend, scams are still around. Therefore, buyers should be vigilant. It is recommended to keep track of purchases, especially when there are many.
Unsolicited text messages or phone calls claiming you’ve won a prize or reporting a delivery problem are often red flags. “They can take advantage of your credit cards and make unauthorized purchases,” Lavin said.
In fact, the Federal Trade Commission reported that scam text messages about package delivery problems and Amazon security alerts were among the top scams in 2022. Victims ended up giving scammers personal information, including social security numbers and even remote access to their phones.
Amazon also offers some guidance on cHow to identify genuine emails of the company. Although they may occasionally send emails with attachments, they will always be linked in a box labeled “Amazon Protected Attachment(s)”. These specific links are safe to open. However, any email or text message that contains suspicious-looking links or attachments should not be opened.
If you accidentally open a suspicious link or attachment, it’s crucial to take immediate action to protect your system. It is also recommended to enable two-step verification for added security. While Amazon communicates with customers, it’s important to remember that they’ll never ask you to divulge or verify sensitive personal information or offer a refund you’re not expecting.
similar websites
Shoppers should be wary of social media ads that redirect to similar websites. At first glance, these sites may seem trustworthy, but upon closer inspection, inconsistencies may appear.
Professional photos, often stolen from other sites, are used to trick consumers into thinking the website is legitimate. It’s crucial to make sure the website is secure: look for “HTTPS” in the URL and a little lock icon in the address bar.
“Look at the website before you buy anything. Does it only have one or two products? Does it have too little information to contact the person selling it?” Lavin said. Also, if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Do some price comparisons of the same item and if there is a big difference, you could be dealing with a scammer.
Making secure payments
It is important to choose your payment method carefully. For online purchases, using a credit card is often the best option, as suspicious charges can be later disputed with the credit card company. Consumers should be wary of any retailer requesting payment via digital wallet apps, prepaid debit cards, or other unconventional methods.
