September 13, 2021 - Just about everyone does some of their shopping online these days. And if you are like most people, there is a pretty good chance that you use Amazon for a portion of that shopping. Try as one might, they are hard to avoid. But there is a scam going on right now and the crooks behind it are using Amazon as a part of their ploy. And the scam is surprisingly easy to fall for even for those who are being careful.
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Here is the way that it works. You receive an automated phone call that supposedly comes from Amazon. A recorded voice tells you that the company has received an order for an expensive piece of merchandize using your account. Due to the fact that the Amazon believes that the activity is "suspicious" they have stopped the sale. So far, so good.
It's at this point that the try to reel you in. Your told that if you would like more information, you can ring through to an operator. Don't fall for it.
Anyone who dials through to an operator is going to be asked a number of questions to "verify their identity." Questions like, what credit card do you use with Amazon? You'll be asked for the account number, expiration date and security code. If you have an account with Amazon, they already have that information. And if it was them that called you, they aren't going to need you to verify anything.
You may also be asked for other information. What's your driver's license number? What's your SSN. Highly personal questions that will allow the people behind the scam to commit identity theft and open new lines of credit in your name.
If you order from Amazon a lot, or have placed a recent order with them, you may be tempted to dial through for more information. Don't. Just open up a computer browser, go to your Amazon account, and review your orders. If you don't see anything unusual, then the call you received was a scam. And if you do see something unusual, then you can cancel the order and report it to Amazon directly.
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