Online shopping is only getting more popular in 2024 and retailers such as Amazon are leading the way when it comes to fast delivery and discount prices. This means Amazon customers are prime (heh) targets for fraud and scams as criminals create new ways to trick people out of their hard earned money.

Amazon Prime Day may have been and gone this month but according to experts at CasinoRevisor, fraudsters have stepped up their use of so-called Prime membership scams, account suspension/deletion scams, and Amazon text scams.

This trio of tricks is designed to make you believe you’re being contacted by Amazon but in fact it’s a fake message. You can then be lured into handing over personal information, which can then be used to defraud you.

“Amazon will never ask you to disclose your password or verify sensitive personal information over the phone or on any website other than at Amazon.co.uk,” said Franz Ostendorff, author of CasinoRevisor.

“Therefore, it is important that you do not click on any links or provide your information to anyone over the phone without authenticating the email or phone call- no matter how legitimate they may sound.

“If you aren’t sure about the status of your account, go directly to Amazon.co.uk or on the app to view your account details. The Message Center will display a log of communications sent from Amazon officially.”

Ostendorff went on to warn that you can also check suspicious links in emails by hovering your mouse over the link before clicking it, which shows you the URL. If it’s not an Amazon web address, don’t click.

“Finally, be cautious with personal information and remember that Amazon will never ask you for sensitive information like your password, or credit card details through the phone or via email. If anyone requests this information, it's likely it is a scam.”

One of the most popular scams are emails sent that look legitimate at first glance, informing you that your Prime membership has expired. The objective is to get you to type in your bank card payment details, which can then be used by the criminals to make fraudulent purchases.

Similar fake threats of your account being suspended or closed try to coerce you into parting with payment details or login information, which can result in scammers accessing your actual Amazon account and buying items with your saved credit cards.

If you think you have a scam email, it is advised to check the email address is came from, as legitimate Amazon emails usually end in “@amazon.com”.

CasinoRevisor also provided Express.co.uk with the below tips and concise advice for avoiding Amazon scams to make sure you don’t fall victim to these sneaky fraudulent methods:

1. Trust Amazon-owned channels

Always go through the Amazon mobile app or website when seeking customer service, tech support, or when looking to make changes to your account.

2. Be wary of false urgency

Scammers may try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they're asking. Be wary any time someone tries to convince you that you must act now.

3. Never pay over the phone

Amazon will never ask you to provide payment information, including gift cards (or “verification cards,” as some scammers call them) for products or services over the phone.

4. Verify links first

Legitimate Amazon websites contain "amazon.co.uk" or "amazon.co.uk/support." Go directly to our website when seeking help with Amazon devices/services, orders or to make changes to your account.