Amazon warns of Prime Membership scam targeting UK customers
Retail giant Amazon has seen an increase in customers reporting fake emails about Amazon Prime membership subscriptions.
In a notice sent to customers on Friday (4 July), the group said scammers have been sending fake emails claiming that their Amazon Prime subscription will automatically renew at an unexpected price.
“The scammers might include personal information in the emails, obtained from other sources, in an attempt to appear legitimate. These emails may also include a ‘cancel subscription’ button leading to a fake Amazon login page,” the group said. “Do not click on any links in these messages – scammers use fake websites to steal your Amazon login credentials and banking information.”
Amazon said the scams can typically be ignored with no action. However, these are some suggested actions that may be applicable:
- If you want to verify your Prime membership, open your Amazon mobile app or go directly to Amazon.co.uk. Select “Prime” from the main menu to view your membership status, renewal dates, and plan details.
- If you clicked on any suspicious links, monitor your credit/debit card statements for unfamiliar charges and contact your bank immediately about any unauthorised transactions.
- Report suspicious communications to amazon.co.uk/reportascam.
Best practices to protect against scams
Amazon provided the following tips as best practices to protect against scams:
- Always access Amazon directly through our mobile app or by typing amazon.co.uk in your browser.
- To find out if a message is really from Amazon, visit the Message Centre under “Your Account.” Legitimate messages from Amazon will appear there.
- Enable two-step verification for your Amazon account through the Login & Security settings or visit amazon.co.uk/2SV.
