Amazon Prime Scam Cost Victims £1m

Hundreds of people in the UK  have fallen victim to an Amazon Prime scam which has seen them collectively lose over £1m in just three months. Between 1 October 2019 and 16 January 2020, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) identified 571 reports of Amazon Prime-related Computer Software Service Fraud. The scam has seen fraudsters steal over £1M from victims.

Victims receive an automated call telling them they’ve been charged for an Amazon Prime subscription, or that they’re eligible for a refund for an unauthorised transaction, on their Amazon account. As customers try to cancel the transaction, they’re put through to the scammer who is posing as an Amazon customer service representative. The victim is told that as the subscription was purchased fraudulently, remote access is needed to the computer to fix a security flaw.

The scam, which we first reported on in October, involves victims receiving an automated call, informing them that they have been charged for an Amazon Prime subscription. They are subsequently instructed to ‘press 1’ to cancel the transaction. When they do this, they are directed to a fraudster posing as an Amazon customer service representative.

The fraudster advises the victim that their subscription was purchased fraudulently and that remote access to their computer is required in order to fix a security flaw that will prevent it from recurring. The victim is asked to download a remote access application, often the ‘Team Viewer’ app, which grants the fraudster access to their computer.

The Team Viewer software is then mis-used by the criminal to monitor the victim logging onto their online bank account, which allows the fraudster to see the victim’s personal and financial details. Other variants of the crime involve fraudsters stating that the recipient is eligible for a refund for an unauthorised transaction on their Amazon account.

Take steps to protect yourself

Personal Information. Always question uninvited approaches in case it’s a scam. Instead, contact the company directly using a known email or phone number.
Stay in Control. Have the confidence to refuse unusual requests for personal or financial information. It’s easy to feel embarrassed when faced with unexpected or complex conversations. But it’s fine to stop the discussion if you do not feel in control of it.

Remote Access. Never install any software or visit a website as a result of a cold call. Unsolicited requests for remote access to your computer should always raise a red flag.

Hang up. If you feel harassed or intimidated, end the call. You have the right not to feel pressurised.

Ring the organisation. If you’re unsure whether the caller is genuine, you can always ring the company they claim to be from. Make sure you find the number yourself and don't use one provided by the caller.

Don't be rushed. Scammers will try to rush you into providing personal details. They may say they have a time-limited offer or claim your bank account is at risk if you don't give them the information they need right away.

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