Officials are warning the public to be wary of messages impersonating Amazon and offering refunds.
“Scammers are again pretending to be Amazon,” the Federal Trade Commission said in a recent news advisory. “This time, they’re sending messages claiming there’s a problem with something you purchased.”
The agency said scammers ask users to click on a link for a refund “but this is a scam.”
What is Amazon Refund Scam?
According to the FTC advisory, recipients receive an “unexpected text that looks like it is from Amazon,” claiming that “the company conducted a ‘routine quality inspection’ and the item you recently purchased does not meet Amazon’s standards or has been recalled.”
“The text offers you a full refund and says you don’t need to return the item – as long as you click the link to ask for your money back,” the advisory says, adding that there are no refunds, and the link is a “phishing scam” to steal money and personal information.
How to avoid fraud
The FTC recommends keeping the following in mind to avoid being scammed:
- Don’t click or respond to links with unexpected text. If you think the message may be legitimate, contact the company via a verified phone number, email, or website, not text information.
- Check your Amazon account through the app or website for more information if anything you ordered has a problem or has been recalled. Do not use links in text.
- Forward unwanted text to 7726 (SPAM) or use your phone’s “Report Junk” option. Once it’s reported, delete the message.
The FTC also encourages the public to report scams to the agency at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Additionally, Amazon has information on how to identify fake text messages on its website.
What to do if your information has been compromised?
If you accidentally clicked the link and you fear that your personal information has been compromised, the FTC recommends taking the following steps to protect you and your information:
- Alert banks and credit card companies and freeze all accounts immediately
- Change passwords for any potentially affected accounts
- Keep an eye out for any questionable charges and be prepared to dispute them
- If you gave your Social Security number to a scammer, visit IdentityTheft.gov to see what steps can be taken, including how to monitor your credit.
- Report scam to FTC
Contributing: Greta Cross, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at (email protected) and follow him on x and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.