Amazon is a trusted name, which makes it valuable camouflage for criminals. A fake message does not need to fool everyone. It only needs to reach someone expecting a package, refund, subscription charge, or job offer.
That describes millions of people on any given day.
Amazon reported that email accounted for approximately 40% to 50% of U.S. customer reports involving impersonation scams in 2025. Fake recruitment messages also became increasingly common, accounting for 13% of reported Amazon scam texts. Common pretexts included product recalls, unauthorized orders, account problems, and employment offers.
The details change. The underlying objective rarely does. Scammers want money, account credentials, payment information, verification codes, or remote access to a device.
How Amazon Scams Usually Work
Most Amazon scams follow a simple attack sequence.
First, the scammer creates a believable reason to contact you. The message may reference a refund, package, product recall, Prime membership, account suspension, or expensive order.
Next comes pressure. You are told to respond immediately or risk losing money, missing a delivery, or having your Amazon account closed.
The final step directs you away from Amazon. You may be told to click a link, call an unfamiliar number, install an application, buy gift cards, or provide a one-time security code.
That final step is the giveaway.
A message can contain the Amazon logo, your name, a realistic order number, and convincing customer-service language. None of those details prove that it came from Amazon.
Amazon Scam Text Messages
An Amazon scam text usually claims that something requires immediate attention. Common versions mention a refund, account problem, delivery, security code, or unauthorized purchase.
Do not use the link or phone number in the message. Open the Amazon app or type Amazon’s address directly into your browser. Check the Your Orders section. Amazon states that legitimate purchases will appear in your order history.
If the supposed order does not appear there, the message is not evidence that a purchase occurred.
Amazon Refund Text Scam
The Amazon refund text scam offers unexpected good news. It may say that Amazon owes you money for a canceled order, delayed package, overpayment, or product problem.
The message directs you to a page where you supposedly claim the refund. That page may copy Amazon’s design while collecting your password, card number, or bank details.
Some scammers call after the victim responds. They may claim that too much money was refunded and demand that the difference be returned. Others request remote access to “correct” the transaction.
A real Amazon refund should correspond to an actual order. Verify it inside your account. Do not provide payment to receive a refund, and never return an alleged overpayment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or a separate payment application.
Amazon Recall Scam
The Amazon recall scam became prominent enough for Amazon to issue a specific warning in March 2026.
A fake recall notice claims that something you purchased has a safety defect. It may include a fabricated order number and urge you to click a link to determine whether you qualify for a refund.
Amazon says these links lead to third-party phishing sites that attempt to capture credentials, payment information, or other personal data. Amazon also states that it will not ask customers to verify account information or sign in through a link in a recall email. Check the order and recall information through Amazon directly instead. Amazon’s current scam-trend guidance explains the recall scheme.
Amazon Code Text Scam
An unexpected Amazon verification code can mean that someone entered your phone number by mistake. It can also mean that someone is trying to access your account.
The follow-up is what makes this dangerous.
A scammer may call and claim to work for Amazon’s fraud department. The caller says the code is required to cancel an order or secure your account. In reality, the code may authorize a login, password reset, or transaction.
Never share a one-time password or verification code. Amazon says it will not call and ask for your password or account sign-in code.
If codes keep arriving, change your Amazon password through the official app or website. Enable two-step verification and review your account activity.
Amazon Delivery and Locker Text Scams
A fake delivery message says that a package could not be delivered because of an address problem, unpaid fee, or incomplete information.
The link usually opens a phishing page. A small redelivery charge may be requested to make the page feel legitimate. The real target is often the card information entered during payment.
Amazon Locker scams use a similar approach. The message may request a fee, access code, or identity verification before releasing a package.
Check delivery status through Your Orders. Locker instructions and legitimate pickup codes should correspond to an actual order inside your account.
Amazon Scam Emails
An Amazon scam email can look almost identical to a legitimate receipt or security notice. Logos are easy to copy. So are product photos, formatting, and legal disclaimers.
The sender’s display name may say “Amazon Support,” but the underlying address can belong to anyone. Even a professional-looking address deserves scrutiny if the message is unexpected.
Common subject lines include:
- Your Amazon account has been suspended
- Payment method declined
- Your Prime membership is renewing
- Unusual sign-in attempt detected
- Order confirmation for an expensive item
- Product recall and refund notification
- Your package could not be delivered
- You have received an Amazon gift card
Do not click an email link to resolve the alleged problem. Check your account independently.
Fake Order Confirmation Emails
A fake order confirmation usually lists an expensive laptop, television, smartphone, or gift card that the recipient did not purchase.
The scammer expects panic.
The email provides a phone number to cancel the order. Calling that number connects you to the scammer, not Amazon. The supposed representative may request payment information, login credentials, or remote access to your computer.
A nonexistent order does not need to be canceled. Look for it in Your Orders. If it is absent, do not continue the conversation.
Amazon Account Suspension Emails
These emails claim that Amazon detected unusual activity or could not verify your payment information. The victim is told that the account will be restricted unless verification is completed immediately.
The link opens a fake login page.
Entering an Amazon password gives the scammer the first piece of the attack. The page may then request a card number, billing address, Social Security number, or one-time code.
Amazon may place a legitimate hold on an account, but the issue should be handled from inside the official website or app. Never resolve an account warning through an unexpected email link.
Amazon Scam Calls
Amazon scam calls often use fear rather than curiosity. The caller claims there is an unauthorized charge, account takeover, expensive order, or criminal investigation tied to your account.
Caller ID does not prove who is calling. Phone numbers can be spoofed to display a familiar company name or local area code.
The safest response is simple. Hang up. Open Amazon independently and inspect your account.
Amazon Order Scam Calls
The caller says that someone ordered an expensive product using your Amazon account. You may be instructed to press a number to cancel the transaction or speak with the fraud department.
Pressing a number can confirm that the line is active. Speaking with the operator begins the social-engineering phase.
The scammer may know your name, address, or part of an old password. Personal data from previous breaches can make the call sound authoritative. It still does not prove that an order exists.
Amazon Fraud Department Impersonation
A fake fraud representative claims to be protecting your money. The caller may transfer you to another person pretending to work for your bank, the Federal Trade Commission, or law enforcement.
The victim is told to move money into a “safe account,” purchase gift cards, or provide security codes.
No legitimate Amazon representative will ask you to transfer money to protect it. Do not provide a code that arrives while you are on the phone. Contact your bank using the number printed on your card if financial activity is involved.
Amazon Scam Phone Numbers
People frequently search for Amazon scam phone numbers after receiving suspicious calls. A list of numbers has limited protective value because scammers can rotate numbers and spoof caller ID.
Focus on behavior instead.
Treat an unexpected caller as fraudulent if the person requests gift cards, cryptocurrency, bank transfers, passwords, security codes, or access to your device. Do not call a number supplied in a voicemail, text, popup, or suspicious email.
Use Amazon’s official app or website to reach customer support.
AnyDesk Amazon Scam
The AnyDesk Amazon scam is a remote-access scheme. Variations may involve TeamViewer, AweSun, Zoho Assist, or another legitimate remote-support application.
The software itself is not the scam. The deception is.
A caller claims that remote access is necessary to cancel an order, process a refund, remove hackers, or inspect suspicious account activity. Once connected, the scammer can see the screen, manipulate browser windows, access files, and watch the victim enter financial credentials.
Some scammers hide the screen while moving money. Others alter what appears in an online banking session to create the illusion of an accidental overpayment.
Do not install remote-access software at the direction of an unsolicited caller. Disconnect the device from the internet if remote access has already been granted. Remove the application, run a security scan, and change important passwords from a separate trusted device.
Amazon Package Scams
Not every Amazon package scam begins online. Sometimes the first sign is a parcel on the doorstep.
The package may be part of a brushing scheme, a QR code attack, a delivery scam, or fraud involving stolen account information.
What Is an Amazon Brushing Scam?
A brushing scam occurs when a seller sends an inexpensive item that the recipient never ordered. The seller then creates a fake verified-purchase review to inflate the product’s ratings or sales history.
The package may seem harmless. However, its arrival can indicate that someone obtained your name and address.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says brushing is illegal and advises recipients to notify the retailer, monitor financial accounts, change potentially compromised passwords, and look for fake reviews posted in their name. Recipients are not required to pay for unsolicited merchandise. The Postal Inspection Service provides additional brushing-scam guidance.
Brushing Packages With QR Codes
A newer brushing variation includes a card with a QR code. The card may claim that scanning it will reveal who sent the gift or provide return instructions.
This is called quishing, or QR code phishing.
The code can lead to a fake website that requests Amazon credentials, payment information, or personal details. It may also direct the device to download malicious software.
Do not scan an unfamiliar QR code inside an unexpected package. If the package appears connected to Amazon, report it through Amazon’s official channels.
Fake Amazon Package Delivery Scams
Some criminals send fake delivery notifications without sending a package. Others use stolen payment details to purchase products and ship them to a victim’s address.
The scammer may attempt to intercept the delivery from the porch. Another version involves contacting the recipient and asking them to forward the package to a different address.
Do not forward unexpected merchandise for someone who contacts you online. That can turn the recipient into an unknowing participant in a reshipping scheme involving stolen goods.
Amazon Mystery Box Scam or Real?
An offer for an “Amazon mystery box” or “Amazon liquidation pallet” should not be assumed to come from Amazon.
These promotions often appear in social media advertisements. They claim that a small payment will purchase returned electronics, unclaimed packages, or an entire pallet of valuable merchandise.
Some third-party liquidation businesses sell legitimate mixed inventory. The risk rises sharply when an unknown website uses Amazon branding, guarantees high-value electronics, conceals the seller’s identity, or advertises a full pallet for an implausibly low price.
Consumer reports submitted to the BBB describe alleged Amazon mystery-box promotions that delivered a tiny parcel containing a few low-value items instead of the advertised pallet. Other buyers reported receiving nothing or encountering websites that disappeared. These are individual reports, but they illustrate the pattern. One 2026 BBB report describes a purported pallet arriving as a small box.
Before buying, verify who operates the website. Read the return policy. Search the business name, domain, address, and payment descriptor separately. An Amazon logo is not proof of Amazon affiliation.
Amazon Gift Card Scams
Amazon gift cards are designed for purchases and gifts. They are not a legitimate method for paying taxes, fines, account-verification charges, tech-support fees, or emergency debts.
Scammers may impersonate Amazon, a bank, government agency, employer, family member, or romantic interest. The story changes, but the payment instruction remains the same. Buy gift cards and reveal the numbers or PINs.
Once those codes are shared, the scammer can drain the balance without possessing the physical card.
The Federal Trade Commission states that only scammers demand payment through gift cards. If codes have already been shared, contact the gift-card issuer immediately, keep the card and receipt, request that the funds be frozen, and report the incident. The FTC explains how gift-card payment scams operate.
Amazon Prime Scams
An Amazon Prime scam commonly claims that a membership is renewing at a high price. Another version says the subscription has expired or that a payment failed.
The victim is directed to click a cancellation link or call a supposed billing department.
Prime Video may also be used as a pretext. Fake support pages can appear after someone searches for help activating a television or streaming device. The page displays a phone number, and the person answering asks for payment, account credentials, or remote access.
Review membership status inside the Amazon account. Do not rely on a popup, unsolicited message, or search advertisement to provide the correct support channel.
Amazon Prime Day Scams
Prime Day creates a predictable opportunity for fake stores, giveaways, surveys, and delivery messages.
A counterfeit promotion may advertise an extreme discount and require immediate payment. Another may claim that completing a survey unlocks a free product. The victim is then charged a shipping fee, enrolled in a recurring subscription, or sent to a credential-stealing page.
Start from Amazon’s official website or application. Avoid shopping through links in unsolicited messages and unfamiliar social advertisements.
Amazon Job and Recruitment Scams
A fake Amazon recruiter may offer remote work with unusually high daily pay. Initial contact often occurs through text, WhatsApp, Telegram, or a personal email address.
The “job” might involve rating products, reviewing listings, optimizing orders, processing packages, or completing simple online tasks. The dashboard shows earnings accumulating, but withdrawals are blocked until the worker deposits personal funds.
That is a task scam.
Amazon says legitimate openings are published through its official Amazon Jobs website. It also warns that genuine Amazon employment opportunities do not require an upfront payment. The FTC gives the same baseline for employment fraud: honest employers do not charge applicants for the promise of a job. Amazon’s recruitment-scam warning identifies unsolicited offers and upfront fees as major warning signs.
Amazon Review Jobs From Home
An offer to earn easy money by posting Amazon reviews may be a task scam, fake-check scam, or identity-theft attempt.
The victim may receive a small initial payment. This builds confidence. Later, the platform requires a deposit to unlock better tasks or release accumulated commissions.
The displayed earnings are fictional.
Do not pay to receive wages. Do not deposit a check and send part of the money elsewhere. Avoid anyone offering payment specifically for positive ratings or fabricated reviews.
Amazon Flex Scams
Fake Amazon Flex recruiters may charge application, equipment, training, or background-check fees. Others collect driver’s-license images, Social Security numbers, banking details, or Amazon credentials.
Begin the application through Amazon’s official Flex channel. Do not trust a recruiter who contacts you unexpectedly and moves the conversation to an encrypted messaging application.
Amazon Reshipping Job Scams
A reshipping scam advertises work inspecting, repackaging, or forwarding Amazon orders from home.
The products may have been purchased with stolen cards. The worker sends them to another address and never receives the promised salary.
The FTC warns that reshipping goods is not a legitimate job. Someone who has already supplied identification or banking information should treat the incident as a potential identity-theft event.
Amazon Automation Scams
Amazon automation companies offer to create and manage stores for investors. Some are legitimate service providers. Others sell unrealistic income claims, hide operating costs, or collect large upfront fees before providing little meaningful work.
Amazon does not guarantee the performance of an outside automation company.
Before investing, examine the contract, refund policy, litigation history, ownership, realistic profit margins, advertising expenses, inventory requirements, and Amazon account structure. Determine who controls the seller account and who bears the risk if Amazon suspends it.
Claims of passive, guaranteed, or nearly risk-free income deserve intense scrutiny.
Amazon Seller and Product Scams
Not every scam involves someone impersonating Amazon. Fraud can also occur through third-party marketplace listings.
A dishonest seller may advertise a genuine product and deliver a counterfeit, used, damaged, or unrelated item. Another may provide fake tracking information or ask the buyer to complete payment outside Amazon.
Keep payment and communication on the platform. Check recent seller feedback, not merely the average rating. Look for abrupt changes in the types of products sold, repeated wording across reviews, and prices that make little commercial sense.
Document high-value purchases. Save the listing and photograph the packaging, serial number, and item upon arrival.
Fake Amazon Reviews
Fake reviews can be written by sellers, paid reviewers, compromised accounts, or participants in brushing schemes.
A large review count does not automatically establish product quality. Read the most recent critical reviews. Compare repeated complaints. Watch for clusters of reviews posted within a narrow period, generic praise that does not describe the product, and reviews that appear to discuss a different item.
Amazon’s verified-purchase label is useful, but it should not be the only trust signal.
Counterfeit Products
Counterfeits can create risks beyond wasted money. Fake chargers, batteries, supplements, protective equipment, and children’s products may not meet the safety standards associated with the genuine brand.
Compare model numbers, packaging, warranty eligibility, labeling, and seller identity. If authenticity matters, consider purchasing from the manufacturer or a clearly identified authorized seller.
Amazon Return and Refund Scams
Refund scams can target shoppers, sellers, or Amazon itself.
A criminal may advertise a “refund service” that claims to recover money while allowing customers to keep expensive products. These services may request Amazon credentials, order information, or a percentage of the refund.
Participating can expose the customer to account closure, financial loss, or allegations of fraud.
Sellers face different schemes. A buyer may return a different item, an empty box, or a damaged substitute. Sellers should document serial numbers, shipment weights, packaging, and the condition of high-value inventory.
Consumers should also be cautious when a seller offers a refund only after the buyer closes a dispute, removes a review, or communicates outside Amazon.
Amazon Wishlist Scams
Amazon Wish Lists are legitimate, but scammers can use them as part of a larger story.
A stranger may claim to have purchased an item and then send a fake confirmation. The recipient is asked to pay a shipping fee, refund an accidental overpayment, or provide a verification code.
Another variation involves a scammer offering gifts in exchange for personal information, private photographs, or money sent outside Amazon.
Verify gifts through the account itself. A screenshot or email supplied by another person is not reliable proof that an order exists.
Amazon Survey and Giveaway Scams
A message announces that the recipient has been selected for an Amazon survey, loyalty reward, or giveaway.
After answering several harmless questions, the victim is offered an expensive product for a small shipping charge. The checkout page collects payment details and may enroll the card in an undisclosed subscription.
Other survey pages distribute malware or collect personal information for future scams.
Treat an unexpected prize as suspicious when entry was never made. Do not pay to claim a prize, and read every charge displayed at checkout.
Fake Amazon Websites and Customer-Service Pages
Fake Amazon websites may substitute letters, add extra words, use unfamiliar domain extensions, or place “Amazon” elsewhere in the address.
Visual design is not a reliable test. Criminals can copy logos, menus, product images, and login pages.
Search results can also lead to fraudulent customer-service pages. A prominent listing or sponsored placement does not guarantee that the number is legitimate.
Go directly to Amazon. Use its website or app to access customer service, review orders, change payment methods, or manage Prime membership.
How to Tell Whether an Amazon Message Is Real
Use the account as the source of truth.
- Open Amazon independently instead of following a message link.
- Check Your Orders for the referenced purchase.
- Review the Message Center for legitimate account communications.
- Confirm refunds against an actual order.
- Never share a password or one-time security code.
- Never purchase gift cards to fix an account problem.
- Do not install remote-access software for an unsolicited caller.
- Do not trust caller ID by itself.
- Treat urgency as a warning sign.
- Keep payments and seller communication on Amazon.
- Enable two-step verification.
Amazon says it will not request sensitive information outside its website or application. Suspicious communication should be verified through Amazon-owned channels. Amazon’s scam-prevention center summarizes its identification and reporting guidance.
What to Do If You Responded to an Amazon Scam
The correct response depends on what happened.
If You Clicked a Link
Close the page. Do not enter additional information.
Update the device’s security software and run a malware scan. Remove unfamiliar applications or browser extensions.
If You Entered Your Amazon Password
Change the password immediately through Amazon’s official website or app. Use a new password that is not used anywhere else.
Enable two-step verification. Review orders, archived orders, addresses, payment methods, gift-card activity, digital purchases, and account settings.
Change the email account password as well if the same or a similar password was used there.
If You Shared a Verification Code
Change the password immediately and review the account for unauthorized activity. A verification code can allow a criminal to complete a login or account change.
Contact Amazon through its official customer-service channel.
If You Installed AnyDesk or Similar Software
Disconnect the device from the internet. Remove the remote-access application and run a security scan.
Change banking, email, shopping, and payment passwords from a different trusted device. Contact financial institutions if the scammer viewed or accessed financial accounts.
If You Shared Card or Banking Information
Contact the card issuer or bank immediately using the number on the card or official banking app. Report the information as compromised and identify unauthorized transactions.
Do not wait for fraudulent charges to appear.
If You Shared Personal Identity Information
Visit IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan. Review credit reports and consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze.
The FTC recommends changing compromised passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, scanning devices after suspicious links, and contacting financial institutions quickly. Its phishing recovery guidance provides additional steps.
How to Report an Amazon Scam
Amazon customers can report suspicious communications through Amazon’s official Report a Scam page. People without an Amazon account can send suspicious messages to reportascam@amazon.com.
Report financial fraud to the Federal Trade Commission through ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Identity theft should be reported through IdentityTheft.gov.
Suspicious texts can also be forwarded to 7726, which spells SPAM. Contact the relevant bank, card issuer, gift-card company, email provider, or mobile carrier when its services were involved.
Keep screenshots, emails, text messages, receipts, phone numbers, transaction records, URLs, and shipping labels. Do not continue communicating with the scammer merely to gather evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Most Common Amazon Scams?
Common Amazon scams include fake order confirmations, refund texts, recall notices, Prime renewal warnings, account-suspension emails, gift-card demands, brushing packages, mystery-box promotions, fake job offers, fraudulent support calls, and remote-access schemes.
Can You Get Scammed on Amazon?
Yes. A scam may involve a dishonest third-party seller, counterfeit product, fake review, phishing message, or off-platform payment request. However, many so-called Amazon scams do not originate on Amazon. Criminals often impersonate the company through email, text, phone calls, social media ads, and fake websites.
Does Amazon Call You?
Amazon may call or text after you request assistance or in connection with certain deliveries. An unsolicited caller asking you to secure an account, provide personal information, reveal a verification code, buy gift cards, or install remote-access software should be treated as fraudulent.
Is There an Amazon Scam Going Around?
Multiple Amazon impersonation scams circulate at the same time. Current patterns include fake product recalls, unexpected refunds, account warnings, unauthorized-order alerts, and recruitment messages. The wording changes frequently, so checking the account directly is more reliable than searching for an exact message.
Is an Amazon Mystery Box a Scam?
Not every liquidation or mystery-box seller is fraudulent. However, many promotions use Amazon branding without proving any affiliation. Avoid offers that guarantee valuable electronics, conceal the seller’s identity, or advertise an entire pallet for an implausibly low price.
What Is a Brushing Scam on Amazon?
A brushing scam involves receiving merchandise that was never ordered. A seller may use the shipment to create a fake verified-purchase review in the recipient’s name. An unexpected package can also indicate that personal information has been exposed.
How Do You Stop Amazon Scam Calls?
Block the number, but recognize that scammers can change or spoof numbers. Do not press buttons, provide information, or call back using a number from the message. Contact Amazon independently if the caller referenced an actual account issue.
How Do You Report an Amazon Scam Email?
Do not click its links or open attachments. Preserve the email and report it through Amazon’s official scam-reporting channel. You can also report phishing to the FTC and forward the email to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org.
The Hard Baseline
Every Amazon scam relies on separating the target from Amazon’s trusted systems.
The message sends you to another website. The caller gives you another number. The recruiter moves you to another platform. The support agent requests another application. The seller asks for another payment method.
Stop at that boundary.
Open Amazon independently, verify the claim inside the account, and use official support channels. That single habit defeats a large share of Amazon scams before they reach the payment, credential, or remote-access stage.
