Shoppers hoping to pick up a bargain in Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale, which began today (October 6), have been issued an important scam warning. Former police officer Joe Waters says there is a "hidden scam waiting for you" in the event, which lasts for two days. He claims fraudsters are taking advantage of the sale by catching customers out with a card expiry trick.
How the scam works
"Imagine an email from Amazon saying your Prime payment method has expired - update it now or lose your membership," he hypothesised in a TikTok video. "It has a button and it looks exactly right."
That scenario is precisely how the scam works, as Joe elaborated: "The link takes you to a fake page that looks just like Amazon. You type in your card details to fix your membership - and they've [fraudsters] have got them - they've got your details."
Why shoppers are vulnerable
The complexity of the scam doesn't end there, however, as there's a part that many people seem to "miss". Joe went on: "It works because customers are expecting emails from Amazon this week. It's normal to receive them, so a fake one doesn't look out of place at all."
Indeed, Joe also noted that sales are when people are at their "least careful", such is their excitement at the prospect of snapping up a great bargain. "They're rushing to grab a deal before it's gone," he said.
Advice for shoppers
And he closed with several instructions to his viewers: "Just don't click a link in an email or text about your Amazon account. Do not enter your card details on a page reached from a link. Do not trust it because it looks real."
Joe's alternative advice? Open the Amazon app itself, where any real messages will appear in the Message Centre. "So if it's not there, it's fake," he noted.
In response, one relieved TikTok user shared a screenshot from their phone showing how they could easily have fallen victim to the scam. "Look at this," they shared. "So lucky your video popped up on my For You page."
A second person cautioned: "I have had a WhatsApp message last week supposedly from them [Amazon]." Plus, a third agreed with Joe: "The timing makes these so believable. Send your parents a heads-up before they get the email. A little warning can save a lot of trouble."
While a fourth TikTok user said: "Simple, do not click on any link. Go direct to Amazon app or website and check your account."
An FAQ regarding the event states on Amazon's website:
- What is Prime Big Deal Days? Prime Big Deal Days is Amazon's deal event exclusively for Prime members, featuring personalized deals and top brands.
- How can I prepare to find deals on Prime Big Deal Days? Join Amazon Prime to participate in Prime Big Deal Days. Some additional ways Prime members can prepare and make the most out of Prime Big Deal Days include: checking out our current Prime-member deals to get exclusive discounts on thousands of items, creating a Wish List, and setting up deal notifications that are tailored to you through the Amazon App.
- What is included with Amazon Prime? Prime members can access all the Prime Big Deal Days deals, as well as exclusive benefits such as Prime Video, Prime Delivery, Amazon Music, and more.
