AMAZON Prime Day is coming – and scammers are getting ready to get their hands on your private information.
Prime Day, the annual shopping event exclusive to Prime members, sees huge discounts on everything from electronics to home items.
The event proved to be extremely popular, raising $12.9 billion from shoppers around the world last year.
However, scammers are ready to pounce amid the commotion and launch phishing attacks to hack your Amazon account.
The term describes a scheme in which cybercriminals attempt to convince targets to hand over confidential information.
And a new cyber attack is on the rise – vishing, or voice phishing, which sees the same plot carried out over the phone.
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Scammers will ask you to hand over information like credit card details and logins while posing as legitimate Amazon employees.
They may claim that your Prime account has expired and ask for your information to “renew” it.
These scams can also come in the form of text messages notifying you of “suspicious activity on your account” or claiming that you have qualified for a promotion.
Messages will usually be accompanied by a link. However, clicking it takes you to a website designed to steal information and compromise your Amazon account.
These fake websites will look like the real ones Amazon web page and may even have a similar web address or URL.
However, if you look closely you will spot inconsistencies. The URL may contain numbers instead of letters or an unusual domain.
A spoofed website may not only ask you to enter your personal information, but it may also download malware onto your device.
To ensure you are purchasing from Amazon and not a counterfeit seller, only buy from the retailer’s official website.
Navigate directly to Amazon.com or amazon.co.uk rather than following links in a search engine, as it can be difficult to discern which are the real ones.
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You can also use Amazonofficial app, which is available for Android and iOS.
A generally useful tip is to avoid clicking on unsolicited links or attachments.
Amazon will never call or message you to confirm personal information.
A representative will also not ask you to provide sensitive information such as credit card details or login information.
How are scammers finding my number?
Here, Mackenzie Tatananni, science and technology reporter for The US Sun, explains how a scammer can get your information.
Scammers often obtain phone numbers through data breaches, which occur when a hacker accesses a private database – usually those maintained by companies such as contractors and employers.
This information can be shared and disseminated online, including on the dark web, where there are forums dedicated to sharing leaked information.
Another common technique called wardialing employs an automated system that targets specific area codes.
A recorded message will instruct the listener to enter sensitive information such as card number and PIN.
There’s also a much more distressing possibility: your phone number could be listed online without your knowledge.
Data brokers are eager to buy and sell your information. These companies collect information from a variety of public online sources, including social media and public records.
Its main purpose is to build databases of people and use this information for personalized advertising and marketing.
Much of this information ends up on public records websites, which display information like phone number, email, home address and date of birth for anyone to see.
In the United States, these sites are legally required to remove your information if you request them.
Locate your profile and follow the cancellation instructions, but be warned: these sites don’t make things easy and aim to frustrate you as you complete the deregistration process.
To put it simply, you can also use a tool to clean your information from the Internet.
Norton offers one of these services. Called Privacy Monitor Assistant, the tool finds information online and requests removal on your behalf.
It’s also possible that your phone number is linked to a social media account and is publicly displayed on your profile – this happens quite often on Facebook.
Be sure to review your privacy settings and confirm that this information is hidden from prying eyes.
It’s also worth ensuring your Amazon account is well protected against hackers, which starts with strong login credentials.
You can use a password generator to get random results, rather than relying on recognizable phrases, names, and dates.
Amazon shoppers can also activate passkeys on their accounts.
The retailer announced the feature in October 2023, allowing users to log in using a highly secure facial scan, fingerprint or PIN code.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
