Amazon voucher scam calls: how the fake refund and gift card codes work
Quick answer
A call or text claiming to be Amazon that offers a voucher or free prize, or says your account was hacked, is a scam. Amazon is the company being impersonated. Never buy gift cards or share their codes, never give remote access, and don't call back a number from the message.
- Comes by
- Phone call, Text
- Pretends to be
- Amazon
- Last updated
How it works
The FTC's Consumer Sentinel data showed Amazon as the most impersonated business: from July 2020 to June 2021, about one in three people reporting a business impersonator said the scammer claimed to be Amazon. These figures are a few years old, but the scripts the FTC describes keep circulating.
There are a few versions:
- The prize text. A message says you won a raffle for a free product from Amazon. You tap the link, then enter card details to pay for "shipping". Charges you never agreed to follow.
- The refund call. A "representative" says there was an unauthorized purchase, tricks you into giving remote access to your computer or phone, then "accidentally" refunds too much. The scammer moved your own money between your accounts, so what you send back is real.
- The gift card "security code". You're told your account was hacked and that buying gift cards and reading out the numbers will block the hackers. The numbers just hand over the money on the cards.
Some people also report finding a fake Amazon number when searching online for customer service.
Red flags
- An unexpected call or text that says you won an Amazon prize or voucher
- A call about a purchase you didn't make or a hacked account
- Asking you to buy gift cards and read out or photograph the numbers
- Asking for remote access to your computer or phone
- A "refund" that's too big, with a request to send back the difference
- A request to pay for "shipping" on something free
Example message
This is Amazon customer service. We've detected an unauthorized order on your account and you're owed a refund. To process it, please stay on the line and open the support page at [link], or call us back at [phone number].
What to do
- 1
Hang up or ignore the text
Don't call back a number from an unexpected call or message, and don't click links. If you're worried, go to Amazon's website yourself to find how to contact them.
- 2
Check your account directly
Log in through the Amazon app or by typing the address yourself and look at your orders and messages.
- 3
If you gave remote access
Disconnect from the internet, uninstall the remote tool and run a security scan. Then change your passwords from a device you trust, starting with email and banking.
- 4
If you bought gift cards
Contact the gift card company straight away with the card numbers and receipts and ask if the funds can be frozen.
- 5
If you paid or gave card details
Call your bank or card issuer on the number on the card and tell them it was fraud.
- 6
Check for identity theft
If you shared personal information, go to IdentityTheft.gov for recovery steps.
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
Amazon impersonators call people at random, but they hit harder when they know your name or can say which city you're in. Those details are easy to find on people-search sites and in breaches. Serus finds the people-search sites and data brokers that list your phone number and address and removes you from them, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
More Amazon scams
Frequently asked
Does Amazon call people about vouchers or hacked accounts?
Treat any unexpected call like this as a scam. The FTC advises using the contact details on Amazon's website, not a number from a call, text or email.
Why was I told to buy gift cards?
The FTC says gift cards are for gifts. Anyone who asks you to pay with a gift card, or to read out the numbers, is a scammer.
The refund really showed up in my account. Isn't that proof?
No. In the refund version, scammers move your own money between your accounts to fake a deposit. Anything you send back is your real money.
Are older adults targeted more?
The FTC's 2021 data found people 60 and up were over four times more likely than younger people to report losing money to an Amazon impersonator.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
