Amazon scam warning issued by Nottinghamshire Police after woman loses £1000 in gift card con | #DatingScams | #LoveScams | #RomanceScans

[ad_1]

Nottinghamshire residents have been targeted by scammers pretending to be from Amazon. There are a number of scams doing the rounds, with victims being contacted by phone, text message or email before scammers try to steal their personal and financial information.

One woman in Forest Town lost £300 after she received a call from someone claiming to be from Amazon Prime Security, who told her that her account had been compromised. After gaining her trust the fraudster then instructed the woman to download remote access software, which was subsequently used to access the victim’s online bank account.



A Nottingham woman was also tricked into spending £1,000 on Amazon Gift Cards and passing over the serial numbers so that they could be used after receiving an email from a scammer posing as her manager. Elsewhere a lady with dementia received an automated phone call stating someone had used her Amazon Prime account and they wanted to refund her £150.

Who is the greatest Nottinghamian? Let us know

The woman was instructed to press 1 to speak to a customer service representative and was put through to a male who knew her name and address. He then asked for her bank details so Amazon could refund her, but she suspected this was a scam and refused.

Detective Sergeant Sally Collins, of Nottinghamshire Police’s fraud unit, said that whilst a number of Amazon-related scams were circulating the tell-tale signs were similar. She said: “During the correspondence, the scammer will find a reason to request the personal or financial information of the victim.

“They will typically ask victims to provide their Amazon account numbers and log-in information, their credit card number, or their Social Security number. For example, they might call you and say that someone has used your Amazon account to order an expensive item such as a laptop.

“Because the item was of a high value, the representative says Amazon needs to verify that you made the order. When you tell the representative that you did not make the order, the scammer will typically ask for your Amazon account log-in information and credit card number.”

She continued: “The scammer will explain that this information is necessary to cancel the order and protect your account from further fraudulent activities. If you provide this information, the scammer can later access your Amazon account to run up illegal purchases in your name.

“The criminal might also use your credit card information to access your online credit card account, using it to make even more fraudulent purchases. To cause you even more financial pain, the scammer might sell this financial information on the dark web to the highest bidders.”

DS Collins said Nottinghamshire Police was raising awareness of the scams to help the public be vigilant. She added: “It’s not surprising that Amazon scams have become increasingly common in recent years, as the more people who shop on the site, the more opportunities there are for criminals to con them out of their financial information.

“But if you remain vigilant and remember to never provide your personal information when contacted out of the blue, you can protect yourself from these scams, no matter how common the fake phone calls become.” Amazon itself also provides several warning signs of a call scam.


They warn people it could be a scam if it’s about an order you never placed, the caller asks for your personal information, or the caller is vague about what you ordered. Other signs is when it is a recorded message or the call is pressuring you to act quickly.

If you receive a scam call from someone claiming to be a representative from Amazon you should report the suspicious activity to Amazon at: Report Something Suspicious – Amazon Customer Service. Further information on how to identify whether an email, phone call or text message is from Amazon can be found on their website.

You can also report fraudulent activity to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040.

[ad_2]

Source link

——————————————————–


Click Here For The Original Source.

National Cyber Security

FREE
VIEW