Even Amazon is warning about this massive inflection point. In particular, they cited a recent surge in phone-based impersonation scams targeting their Prime members here in the UK. This disturbing trend has led the innovative company to take huge steps to safeguard its customers from fraudulent purchases.
As you might imagine, scams are skyrocketing. As a result, last year alone, Amazon was able to successfully take down more than 55,000 phishing websites and 12,000 phone numbers. Now, the company is calling on consumers to remain vigilant against these threats. Scammers exploit the trust that users place in the Amazon brand.
Rising Threat of Impersonation Scams
Just a few months ago, Amazon released news about a staggering increase in impersonation scams. Now, fraudsters are impersonating representatives from those very companies to gain access to sensitive information from consumers. These scammers go to great lengths and use elaborate schemes that fool even the most prudent consumer.
To address this mounting concern among consumers, Amazon has stepped up its efforts to shut down bad actors. Last year, the company worked nonstop to take down more than 55,000 malicious phishing sites. These sites tried to trick users into providing their private information. It also shut down more than 12,000 phone numbers that scammers used to call and manipulate victims.
Amazon encourages its customers to take an active role in securing their accounts.
“Scammers are not using our brand to take advantage of people who trust us,” – Amazon
Strengthening Account Security
In order to strengthen account security, Amazon encourages its customers to protect their accounts with two-step verification. This feature raises your overall security. More importantly, it pushes users to demand additional authentication measures before being allowed into their accounts.
The need for better security including two-step verification is dire and even more so as we now live in the age of boom cybercrime. By activating this feature, customers can significantly reduce their chances of falling victim to impersonation scams or other fraudulent activities.
Beyond these steps, the company urges users to educate themselves on prevalent scam tactics, and to be wary of communications they did not expect.
Reporting Suspected Scams
Amazon wants to remind everyone that reporting any suspected scam is extremely important. To combat this, the company has created a channel for consumers to report these incidents, enabling them to take quick action against these fraudulent actors.
“We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us, so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement,” – Amazon
By engaging with customers and providing resources for reporting scams, Amazon aims to cultivate a safer online environment for its users.