Beware of fake Amazon calls and emails
Amazon Prime Day shoppers should be wary of an increase in convincing scams that are circulating.
Scams refer to payment problems, expired Amazon Prime memberships and fake deals.
Read on to find out about the latest Amazon impersonation scams and how to avoid them.
Sign up for scam alerts
Our emails will alert you to scams doing the rounds, and provide practical advice to keep you one step ahead of fraudsters.
Sign up for scam alerts
Amazon scam emails
Scam emails impersonating Amazon are being used to peddle fake Amazon Prime Day deals.
Emails encourage you to follow a malicious link to a phishing website, which will gather your details.
One email spotted by Which? used Amazon branding and referenced the correct dates for Amazon Prime Day. This convincing phishing email claims that the payment method for your Prime membership is no longer valid and provides a dodgy link to follow to 'update your details'.
In another example, you're informed that your membership has expired, but that you can extend it for 90 days for £3 under Amazon's 'loyalty program'.
Again, the links in these emails lead to phishing websites.
- Find out more: how to spot an email scam
Dodgy callers impersonating Amazon
Scam calls claim there are unauthorised charges or purchases on your Amazon account.
Another version of this scam involves a caller claiming someone has tried to purchase an iPhone using the recipient's account. The caller then asks the victim to provide information to 'verify' their account.
Previous scams also included pre-recorded messages informing potential victims that Amazon has taken a payment from their account.
If the recipient stays on the line, they'll be put through to a scammer who will attempt to get their personal and financial information.
- Find out more: how phone scams work
Avoiding and reporting Amazon impersonation scams
Amazon says customers can visit the Message Centre on its website or app to see what authentic emails from Amazon look like.
You can verify your Prime membership status, authorise payments or make changes to your billing and account information by logging in to your Amazon account.
You can also report Amazon impersonation scams on the retailer's website.
Scam calls received on a mobile can be reported to the network by texting the word ‘call’ followed by the phone number to 7726 on an iPhone. On Android, text the word ‘call’ to 7726. You’ll then receive a message asking you for the scam number.
You can report scam emails by forwarding them to report@phishing.gov.uk.
If you fall victim to a scam, call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your bank card and report it to Action Fraud, or call the police on 101 if you’re in Scotland.
This news story was originally published on 5 August 2024 and updated on 8 July 2025 with new examples of scam emails and calls.
