Amazon issues urgent 'don't click' warning to 27,000,000 users at risk in 'red alert'
A new scam targeting Amazon customers could put your personal information and banking details at risk, as the online shopping giant has issued an urgent warning to its users to remain vigilant and 'don't click' one key thing.
Scams seemingly become more sophisticated and harder to distinguish with every passing year, as cybercriminals engineer new ways to trick people into handing over their login details and personal information.
You can do as much as you want to protect your password from attacks, but something as simple as clicking the wrong link could lead to your bank account being effectively handed over to an attacker lying in wait.
Amazon has identified a new scam targeting its customers now though, and has issued an urgent warning urging people to avoid clicking one particular part of the phishing attack.
What is the new Amazon scam?
As reported by Chronicle Live, Amazon account holders - particularly those with an active Amazon Prime subscription - are being targeted by cybercriminals with an email that claims the price of their subscription is increasing.
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To the naked eye it will look authentic as if it has come from Amazon directly, and the threat of a price increase is often enough to send people into a panic where they forget to be vigilant about potential scams.
There will likely be a 'Cancel' call-to-action button inside the email prompting users to stop the alleged price hike from going into effect, which then leads to a false login page that the scammers use to steal your details.
Like most people you probably have both your personal information and banking details stored on your Amazon account, so entering your details into their fake system is incredibly dangerous.
What have Amazon said about the scam?
Amazon has thankfully issued a new warning that targets the scam in an attempt to warn as many potential victims as possible. In a new statement, the tech giant has outlined:
"We've recently noticed an increase in customers reporting fake emails about Amazon Prime membership subscriptions. We want to help you stay protected by sharing important information about these scams.
"Do not click on any links in these messages - scammers use fake websites to steal your Amazon login credentials and banking information."
With Prime Day just around the corner, it's expected that these scam attempts will only increase to take advantage of the frenzy that many Amazon customers will be involved in thanks to the plentiful deals.
Amazon also urges its customers to head directly to the Amazon website or the Amazon app on your phone if you want to amend your Prime subscription, check any messages, or access order information, and avoid clicking on any link in an email, regardless of whether you think it's authentic or not.
Anything that you would be prompted to do via an email can be done through the two aforementioned methods, and it's better to remain as safe as possible on platforms that you know you can trust.
What to do if you've fallen for the scam
If you believe that you have fallen for a scam like this and entered your login details then Amazon has also revealed the best course of action that you should take from now onwards.
"If you clicked on any suspicious links, monitor your credit/debit card statements for unfamiliar charges and contact your bank immediately about any unauthorized transactions."
If the password for your Amazon account is the same as any other websites then it's best to change as many as you possibly to prevent any other breaches from occurring.
You can also follow the steps listed in Amazon's official customer service portal, which outlines the best course of action in your location for dealing with an issue like this.