CONSUMER
Cybercriminals Using Amazon Prime Day To Scam Shoppers
Jul 15, 2019, 6:45 PM | Updated: Feb 7, 2023, 11:18 am
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Not all the bargains popping up for Amazon Prime Day are the real deal. Some are fraudulent decoys that could deliver your identity straight to thieves.
Cybersecurity giant McAfee is warning that hackers are using phishing software to target Prime Day shoppers. Their experts say potential victims will get emails that look like they’re from Amazon. There’s a PDF attachment that closely resembles Amazon’s log-in page if you open it.
McAfee says it is really phishing software known as 16Shop, designed to lure shoppers into sharing key details like their Amazon account credentials, birthdates, addresses, credit card numbers and even Social Security numbers.
The same scam hit Apple users last year.
The easiest and most effective way to avoid this scam, and most phishing scams, is by not clicking any links or attachments even in emails that look legitimate.
Typing Amazon.com into your browser’s URL as normal or using the official app allows shoppers to snag great deals without surrendering their identities to the bad guys.
