Amazon scam calls: how to spot the fake order or account call
Quick answer
A call, text or email about an Amazon order you didn't place is almost always a scammer pretending to be Amazon. Amazon doesn't ask for payment details by phone. Hang up, check Your Orders in the real Amazon app or site, and report it.
- Comes by
- Phone call, Text, Email
- Pretends to be
- Amazon
- Last updated
How it works
Scammers pretend to be Amazon and start with a problem you didn't know you had: an expensive order, a suspended account, a Prime fee that's due. Amazon's own help pages describe these as order confirmation, Prime membership and account suspension scams.
The message pushes you to act fast. You're told to "confirm or cancel" the purchase, so you call a number or click a link. The person who answers then tries to get you to share payment details, install software that gives them control of your computer, or buy gift cards.
What they want is money, your login or your card number. Amazon says a message about an order you didn't place most likely didn't come from Amazon, and that real purchases show up in your order history.
Red flags
- An order, delivery or charge you don't recognize, with a number to call
- Pressure to act right now or your account will be suspended or deleted
- A request for your password, card details or bank details over the phone
- Payment by gift card, or money sent outside the Amazon site or app
- A request to install software or give someone remote access to your computer
- A link that doesn't lead to amazon.com
Example message
Amazon: We've noticed an order for [item] charged to your account. If you didn't make this purchase, call [phone number] right away to cancel it.
What to do
- 1
Don't call, click or reply
Use neither the number nor the link in the message. Calling the number is how the scam moves forward.
- 2
Check your orders yourself
Open the Amazon app or type the address into your browser, then look at Your Orders. Only legitimate purchases show up there. Amazon also keeps its real messages in the Message Center.
- 3
Forward it to Amazon
Send suspicious messages to the address Amazon lists for this on its Identifying a scam page, or use its Verify Communications tool. Amazon can't reply personally.
- 4
If you gave out card or bank details
Call the number on the back of your card or your bank's real number and say it was fraud. Ask them to block the card and dispute any charges.
- 5
If you gave out your Amazon login
Change your Amazon password, turn on two-step verification and check for orders or address changes you didn't make.
- 6
If you let them onto your computer
Disconnect from the internet, uninstall the remote access program, change passwords from a different device and run a security scan. If you're unsure, ask a trusted repair shop.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scammers who pick Amazon usually aim at almost everyone, because so many people have an account. A real name, address or phone number makes the call more convincing, and those details are easy to find on people-search sites or in old data breaches. Serus finds the people-search and broker sites that list your details and sends the removal requests, and alerts you when your info turns up in a breach, so fewer scammers can build a believable story about you.
More Amazon scams
Frequently asked
Is the Amazon scam call real?
Calls like this are real, but they aren't from Amazon. Amazon's help pages describe order confirmation, Prime membership and account suspension scams, and say real Amazon messages can be checked in your account.
Does Amazon ever call to ask for payment?
Amazon says it never asks you to provide payment information for products or services over the phone, and it never asks for your password.
I got an order confirmation for something I didn't buy. What now?
Check Your Orders in the Amazon app or site. If the order isn't there, the message wasn't from Amazon. Don't call the number in it.
Does it matter what year the call came?
No. The script has stayed much the same for years. The wording changes, but the pressure to act fast and the request for money or access stay the same.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
