Amazon Prime Day is a great day to find deals on some of those hot summer items you’ve been wanting to get, but according to the Better Business Bureau, in 2021 Amazon was the most impersonated organization and the riskiest for scams.
With that in mind, there are some things that every Prime Day shopper should look out for.
Beware of phishing emails. They can look a lot like a message from Amazon or another retailer, but clicking on unfamiliar links can place you at risk of malware or identity theft. These kinds of scams ramp up on days like Amazon Prime Day.
Also, be aware of fake look-alike websites. You want to always check the URL, watch for bad grammar, and research the domain. A popular way for scammers to get you to click on these bad sites is by using social media ads.
“Ads that pop up in your social, that are typically based on searches that you have made for something that you are looking for, be very very careful about clicking on those. A huge number of those are fraudulent sites that are just trying to take advantage of you and your search history,” said Julie Wheeler, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau of Southwest Virginia.
Wheeler said these types of scams are popular with clothing, leather goods, and electronics.
She also wants shoppers to know that professional photos do not mean a legit offer. Scammers can often steal photos off of other websites, so don’t believe everything you see.
Wheeler said a great way to protect yourself from a scam is by always shopping with a credit card. In case of a fraudulent transaction, a credit card provides additional protection.
“You can dispute that charge and it will come off of your credit card statement while they investigate it. Versus your bank account where if you use a debit card, where it has come out of your account, you may eventually get it back, but you won’t have access to that money while the investigation is taking place,” said Wheeler.
Wheeler also recommends keeping documentation of your order. Save a copy of the confirmation page or email confirmation until you receive the item and are satisfied.