5 common Amazon scams and how to avoid them

Amazon is the the most efficient, popular online retailer. So maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that it’s a gold mine for scammers. These individuals, bless their blackened hearts, are adept at crafting new and increasingly plausible ways to trick the unsuspecting—and posing as Amazon is an easy way to attract attention.

So, with a healthy dose of skepticism, let’s examine a few of their more popular ruses. And, more importantly, how to avoid becoming the next victim.

“Your Account Is On Hold!”

This particular chestnut arrives via email, often with a subject line designed to induce mild panic. It’s adorned with a passable Amazon logo and a link, invariably urging you to verify your details or update your billing information.

How to avoid it: Amazon, for all its technological prowess, rarely communicates critical account issues via unsolicited links in an email.

Outsmarting this one can be done the same way you outsmart just about every other phishing email out there.

Make sure to examine the sender’s address. Does it genuinely end in “@amazon.com”? Or is it a peculiar string of characters, perhaps including “amazon.com” somewhere? The latter is a strong indicator it’s a scam.

In the message itself, are there peculiar grammatical constructions or spellings that suggest English might not be the author’s primary language? These subtle imperfections are often telltale signs, though they’re getting harder to spot thanks to AI.

And finally, resist the urge to click. If there’s genuinely an issue with your Amazon account, manually navigating to Amazon.com in your browser and logging in will reveal all. Any legitimate alerts will be visible there.

The “Unexpected Refund” Text Message

This rather sneaky tactic involves a text message, ostensibly from Amazon, informing you that a recent purchase of yours has failed some sort of routine inspection. Perhaps it’s being recalled, or simply isn’t up to Amazon’s exacting standards.

The good news, the message purports, is that a full refund is due, often without the hassle of returning the offending item. All you need do is click the convenient link provided to claim your compensation.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, among others, has recently issued warnings about this particular brand of mischief.

How to avoid it: Excitement for an unexpected windfall should be tempered with a healthy dose of doubt.

For starters, while Amazon does send legitimate texts, an unsolicited refund notification, particularly for an unspecified item and without requiring a return, is highly suspect.

Clicking the link in the text message will, in all likelihood, lead you to a meticulously crafted phishing page that looks just like the official Amazon login page—just waiting to collect your Amazon credentials, payment information, and any other personal details you’re willing to volunteer.

Should you harbor even a fleeting thought that the message might be legitimate, bypass the text entirely by logging into your Amazon account via the official website or the app. Any legitimate refund or recall information will be clearly displayed within your order history or official notifications.

The “Accidental Over-Refund”

This is a somewhat more sophisticated deception. You might receive a call or an email asserting that Amazon has, through some inexplicable error, refunded you too much for a recent return.

The request is for you to remit the “overpayment,” often via the purchase of gift cards or a wire transfer.

How to avoid it: Before doing anything, consult your actual bank statements or Amazon account to confirm the alleged overpayment. It’s almost certain you’ll find no such anomaly.

When it comes to Amazon’s refund protocol, the company’s internal processes are reasonably sophisticated. Should a genuine error occur, the company would rectify it internally, not solicit funds from you via questionable methods— certainly not gift cards!

And if anyone purports to be from Amazon and requests remote access to your computer to “correct” a refund issue, it’s time to end the conversation. Amazon will never, ever, ever ask for access to your computer.

“Your Order Has Shipped!” Wait, what order?

This particular trick plays on a combination of alarm and curiosity. A plausible-looking order confirmation arrives in your inbox for an item—often expensive— that you most certainly didn’t purchase.

The objective is to prompt you to click the “Cancel Order” or “View Details” link in a state of agitation.

How to avoid it: Bypass the email entirely. Log into your Amazon account and go to your “Orders” section. If the supposed order isn’t there, it’s a fabrication.

Though generally ill-advised, should you feel compelled to examine a link, hover your mouse cursor over it and observe the URL that appears. If it deviates significantly from www.amazon.com, then it’s best left unclicked.

The “Mystery Package” Brushing Scam

This particular oddity is less about financial theft and more about system manipulation. You receive a package from Amazon, addressed to you, containing an item you never ordered—often something inexpensive and utterly random.

The purpose? A third-party seller is using your details to create fake purchases, allowing them to post fraudulent positive reviews under your name, thereby artificially boosting their product’s standing.

How to avoid it: While seemingly harmless, receiving free—albeit often useless— goods does indicate your personal information is being exploited.

Do a good deed by contacting Amazon customer service and reporting the unsolicited package. The company takes a dim view of such practices.

And given that your address is being used, a periodic review of your credit report for any other unusual activity is probably in order.