Amazon Scams Ramp Up Ahead of Prime Day
By: Jim Stickley and Tina Davis
July 7, 2025
As Amazon Prime Day—Ok, it’s really a week—approaches (July 8–11, 2025), scammers are dialing up their schemes, and law enforcement is taking notice. On June 25, 2025, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office in New York State, issued an urgent alert about an increasingly common phone scam targeting Amazon customers. Meanwhile, a separate but related text-message-based scam was reported that’s catching unsuspecting users off guard. Both are designed to trick victims into revealing personal information or installing malware—all under the guise of a trusted brand.
The Amazon Fraud Department Scam
In this version of the scam, victims receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from Amazon’s fraud department. The scammer warns of suspicious activity or an issue with an Amazon order. Victims are told to press a button or speak with a representative to resolve the issue—at which point the caller pressures them into providing sensitive details or clicking malicious links.
According the warning, the caller ID that users see displayed after the phone call is transferred is a number that appears to belong to the Addison Police Department with a 607 area code. The individual transferred to someone who claims to be “Brian Morse” and eventually “threatens” to send an officer to the person’s home, hoping it’ll get the victim to give up the goods. That’s not friendly customer service at all.
The Text Message Scam
Fake texts are circulating with messages such as, “We sent you a code—if you didn’t request it, click here to deny.” The message omits any detail and identifying information and uses curiosity or fear to prompt action…classic phishing. These messages mimic legitimate Amazon alerts but often direct users to phishing sites or malware downloads.
How to Protect Yourself
- Don’t click links in unexpected emails or texts claiming to be from Amazon. Though Amazon will communicate via text, you must give them permission to do so in your account. If you haven’t, consider it suspect.
- Never share account information over the phone. Amazon will not ask for sensitive data this way.
- Verify through official channels—log into Amazon directly to confirm any alerts. If they need to reach you, they have ways to do so that you set up in your account.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) and set up strong, unique passwords.
- Be suspicious of urgency or pressure tactics—they’re huge red flags in most scams. If you aren’t given time to consider it, it’s likely some sort of scam.s
- Don’t fall for vague messages about codes or purchases you didn’t make. Go check on any purchases in your account.
Bottom line: As Prime Day 2025 nears, stay vigilant. If you receive suspicious calls or texts claiming to be from Amazon, pause and verify it by going directly into your account, rather than clicking links. Then, if you find it is fraudulent, report it. A few seconds of caution can save you from financial harm and a big headache.
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