CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — It’s not even Black Friday yet, and Amazon and other online retailers have already kicked off the holiday shopping season.
Not only should shoppers be searching for the best deals, but they should also be looking out for scams.
Amazon is out with some tips to help folks dodge impersonation scams this holiday season.
The e-commerce site says fake order confirmations accounted for more than half of the Amazon impersonation scams last year.
So it’s important to verify your purchases.
If you get a message about buying a particular product or service, don’t respond or click on any links.
Instead, log into your Amazon account using a computer or the app to confirm your purchase history.
Amazon also wants to remind customers that they’ll never ask for a payment over the phone or e-mail.
Again, check their app, website, or a physical store for that information.
Other tips? Be wary of false urgency, and don’t be pressured into buying a gift card.
If you’re ever unsure about a message or e-mail, Amazon says to contact them directly through their app or website.
Don’t call a phone number mentioned in a text, e-mail, or online search.
Amazon also advises to report anything suspicious using their self-service tool, or stop-spoofing@amazon.com.
It’s also smart to check the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker to see if any other customers have had similar issues.
Also, to avoid fake shipping notifications, if you’ve ordered something from Amazon or another website, be sure to only track your packages using the official UPS, USPS, or FedEx websites.
