Amazon’s “Prime Day” has arrived, and experts are warning consumers to beware of scams.
According to a report by the Associated Press, the non-profit organization Better Business Bureau (BBB) has cautioned consumers that phishing activities tend to increase during major sales events.
Josh Planos, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations at BBB, previously told the Associated Press that for scammers and unethical businesses or organizations, this also “represents a huge opportunity.”
This year’s two-day Amazon Prime member discount event, “Prime Day,” started on Tuesday, July 16, and will continue until Wednesday. BBB, in its latest guidelines released last week, reminds consumers to be wary of look-alike websites, unbelievable social media ads, and unsolicited emails or phone calls during this month’s sales event.
Consumers may need to be more vigilant this year than ever before. In June, BBB reported a record high in phishing reports they received in 2023. The organization stated that the number of such reports has been on the rise this year as well.
At the same time, Israeli-based cybersecurity company Check Point Software Technologies reported in this month that there were over 1,230 new websites related to Amazon in June, with the majority being malicious or suspicious.
Scott Knapp, Global Director of Buyer Risk Prevention at Amazon, noted that in recent years, the company has identified two common scams around Prime Day: Prime membership qualifications and order confirmations.
Knapp explained that people have reported receiving unsolicited calls or emails claiming issues with their Prime membership and asking for bank account or other payment information to restore their account.
He added that urging consumers to verify orders they did not place around this time of year is also a common tactic. Scammers may select expensive items like smartphones to grab attention and request payment information again or send malicious links. They may also try to lure consumers in other ways, such as promising free gifts or creating a sense of urgency falsely.
Experts point out that these shopping scams often reappear year after year.
However, Planos and other experts also warn that online scams are continually evolving and becoming more sophisticated.
They emphasize the need to be cautious not only of scams pretending to be companies or retailers but also of counterfeit products and fake reviews on legitimate retailer websites.
Planos noted that the quality and appearance of counterfeit products have significantly improved in recent years, making it challenging to combat this type of fraud. He said a good rule of thumb is to check the price tag – if a product is priced at less than 75% of its market value for the year, “that’s a significant red flag.”