Amazon Prime Membership Scams

Amazon Prime is a popular membership program that offers free two-day shipping, streaming video, and other benefits. Unfortunately, it is also a target for scammers.

One common Prime membership scam involves an unsolicited email, text, or phone call from someone claiming to be from Amazon. The scammer may say that there is a problem with your account, such as an unpaid membership fee, and ask you to confirm or cancel your membership. They may also try to get you to provide your payment information so they can “reinstate” your membership.

Here are some things to watch out for if you receive a message about your Prime membership:

• The message is unsolicited. Amazon will never contact you out of the blue to ask for payment information or to verify your account.
• The message is urgent. Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency by saying that your account will be suspended or deleted if you don’t act immediately.
• The message is asking for personal information. Amazon will never ask you to provide your credit card number, Social Security number, or other sensitive information over the phone or in an email.
• The message is coming from an unfamiliar email address. Amazon’s email addresses will always end in @amazon.com.

If you receive a message that you think might be a scam, do not reply to it. Instead, hang up the phone, delete the email or text, and contact Amazon directly through their website or customer service line.

Here are some tips to help you avoid Prime membership scams:

• Only ever provide your payment information directly to Amazon through their website or app.
• Never click on links in emails or text messages from unknown senders.
• Be suspicious of any messages that ask for personal information, especially if they are urgent or threatening.
• Keep your software up to date, including your operating system, web browser, and antivirus software.

By following these tips, you can help protect yourself from Prime membership scams.

See Scam and Fraud Protection for 2023 for more information and make sure to Sign Up for our Scam Prevention Newsletter.