Scammers are Primed with These Tricks for Amazon Prime Day
You're primed and ready to save during the final hours of Amazon Prime Days and you make one simple click that causes you trouble with a scam artist. How is a person to know?
Here are some things to watch for to stay clear of trouble while shopping for deals on Amazon Prime, according to the Better Business Bureau.
Be wary of emails, phishing scams, misleading advertisements, and lookalike websites, according to BBB. "Phishing increases during busy shopping times, such as Prime Day or Black Friday. When you are making a lot of purchases, it’s easy to lose track of exactly what you bought and where you shopped. That makes you more likely to fall for a phishing scam posing as a big-name store," according to the watchdog.
Beware of unsolicited text messages, emails and phone calls. "We're calling to correct your order," a scam caller might say, and then they begin to ask for information. Amazon will not make an unsolicited call to you. If you get a call and think it could be authentic, hang up and call Amazon customer service. Believe it or not, despite its size, Amazon does answer customer service calls and their agents are trained to solve problems.
Watch out for false advertising and "look alike" fake websites. Scam artists are actually "artists" so to speak, and they do an amazing job of making their sites and emails look real. Don't click on links or buttons that lure you in to "fix an issue." Again, call customer service and go to your Amazon Prime account and reach out for help.
The Better Business Bureau says just checking for misspelled words can be a great indicator. Always make sure websites use the correct spelling of a business name and have legitimate contact information and customer service numbers. Also, use common sense when evaluating deals. If a company claims to be selling the hottest item of the year at a super low price, it’s probably a con.
One more tip from BBB advises people to use a credit card when purchasing, because if it's later determined to be a scam, your credit card will back your purchase if you file a claim.
Check out the Better Business Bureau website for more details on avoiding the scam. By the way, our link is safe, but if you'd rather not click on a link, simply type bbb.org into your browser, to connect with BBB's official website.