- What is the Amazon Rewards Text Scam?
- How To Beat Amazon Rewards Text Scams
- Signs of an Amazon Rewards Text Scam
- What To Do if You've Fallen for an Amazon Rewards Text Scam
- Frequently Asked Questions
If you receive unsolicited text messages from Amazon, remember to never click on any links. If you do click on a link, don't enter any of your personal information onto the website you're taken to. As long as you follow these simple rules, you can protect yourself from Amazon Rewards text scams.
The key thing to remember here is: Don’t believe every text you receive. Especially if you can’t verify that it’s legitimate. Scammers are everywhere, attempting to gain access to your accounts and money.
What is the Amazon Rewards Text Scam?
Being a well-known company these days also means that your name will likely be used in some sort of scam. And Amazon is a name known by everyone.
Amazon orders picked up during the pandemic, and scammers noticed. They send out random text messages designed to trick you into giving away your information and access to your personal accounts. Let's look at how Amazon Rewards text scams work.
You Receive an Amazon Rewards Scam Text
Various versions of this scam exist, but the common denominator is that the sender of the text claims to be from Amazon. But scammers use different tactics to get your attention. For example, the text could say something like:
- You have won an Amazon sweepstake.
- You have Amazon Rewards credit available.
- You have won free items in an Amazon raffle.
- You can get free items by completing an Amazon survey.
As soon as one type of scam is reported, scammers will try another using Amazon's name.
You Click On the Link
The point of the text message is to get you to click on a link in the text message. Each one of these texts will require you to take action.
The unusual link will take you to a site that will most likely look like a page on the Amazon website. The domain name may even look similar. Here, you will be presented with a form in which you must enter personal and financial information.
If you are told you must complete a survey, there will most likely be a few fake questions to simulate an actual survey. However, when you are done, you will find out that you will have to enter credit card or banking information to pay for shipping and handling to get your free gifts.
The Scammer Steals Your Information, and Your Accounts Are No Longer Secure
The survey questions you answered mean nothing to the scammers. They use them to make the fake site seem more legitimate and put you at ease. Instead, they are trying to gain access to your credit card or financial accounts—once they have it, they will disappear, as will your money.
You will never receive the Amazon reward credits or the gift that you were promised. And if the scammers have more of your personal information, like the last four digits of your social security number or address, then they could also use that to access other accounts you may have.
- Thousands of brands, millions of products
- Free shipping on millions of items
- Free One-Day delivery with Amazon Prime, available coast to coast
How To Beat Amazon Rewards Text Scams
You may think you would never fall for this type of scam. But don't be too sure. Scammers are always trying new things to trick their victims into a false sense of security. Many have been doing this for a while and know what works and what doesn’t.
You should always follow best practices when you receive a text message from Amazon and proceed with caution.
Amazon Doesn't Text You for Everything
Amazon does not send text messages to notify you of information or changes in your account. Instead, you will receive an email. You will only receive shipment text alerts if you've signed up for them.
Best Practices to Follow
- Don’t click any links
- Check the phone number
- Verify the link
- Never reply “STOP” or “NO”
Don't Click on Any Links in Amazon Texts
If Amazon has important information for you, they will send you messages through the Amazon shopping app or to your email address. So, if you have the Amazon App installed and you received a text instead of an app notification, you know it is a scam. Don't click the link.
If you’re unsure if the text is legitimate or not, log into your email or Amazon account and check your messages.
Check Out the Number the Text Is Sent From
Most businesses use five- or six-digit text numbers if they ever send text messages. Most scam texts come from what look like actual phone numbers because these shortcode numbers have to be leased. So, if the phone number looks like a regular cell phone number, chances are it is a scam text.
Examine the Link in the Text
If the domain in the link is not amazon.com or amzn.com (Amazon's URL shortener), that link will not take you to the Amazon site. Most scammers will use a domain that looks random because scammers end up using many domains to avoid getting blocked by scam detectors.
If you do click on the link, be sure not to enter any information on a site that isn’t Amazon.
Amazon
Contact page: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/contact-us/general-questions.html?skip=true
It's important to verify links and contact details to beat imposters.
Never Text STOP or NO Back
While doing this won't put any of your accounts or data at risk, it will tell the scammers that they have found a live number. If they send out batches of random texts, they use this to determine which to try again. You will then be flooded with many more scam texts.
Signs of an Amazon Rewards Text Scam
Amazon Rewards text scams come in many varieties. The biggest red flag is receiving a text from Amazon saying you’ve won a gift from their Rewards program. The only Rewards program Amazon has is for their Visa card where you earn % back from your purchases.
Some red flags to watch out for include:
- Receiving a text message about winning Amazon Rewards.
- Text messages with typos or bad grammar.
- A link to a website that is not the official Amazon website.
- Text messages flagged as “Spam” by your service provider.
What To Do if You've Fallen for an Amazon Rewards Text Scam
If you have fallen for this scam, then your credit cards and financial accounts are at risk. Here are some steps you can take to stop further damage to your finances, help authorities catch the scammers, and prevent other people from being victimized in the future:
- Change your Amazon password
- Contact your bank or financial institution
- Report the scam to Amazon
- Report the fraud to the authorities
Change Your Amazon Password
If the fake site asked you to log in to your "Amazon account" before you completed a survey or entered other details, then they most likely stole your credentials. Change your password on your Amazon account immediately.
Safety Tip
When updating your Amazon password, choose something unique (i.e., that you don't use for any other accounts) and hard to predict. If you have a hard time remembering all of your passwords, use a password manager.
Contact the Financial Institutions Affected
If you entered your bank account information or credit card details on the scam site, you need to contact the bank or credit card company to report the fraud. They can:
- Help you track down any fraudulent activity that has occurred so far
- Shut off your cards so the scammers can't use them
- Possibly credit your account for any fraudulent purchases
Report the Amazon Rewards Text Scam to the Authorities
Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can also report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
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