BBB issues warning following Amazon Prime Day

The following is a news release from the Better Business Bureau.

For many, the deals of Amazon Prime Day were to good to pass up, so now it is just a waiting game for that box to drop on your doorstep. According to CoreSite, a data center that is partnering with Amazon, 175 million items were sold totaling $5.8 billion dollars of sales. Prime Day surpassed Cyber Monday and Black Friday combined for Amazon. Which again means lots of deliveries will soon be made.

With such a big event, the Better Business Bureau, often sees scammers taking advantage and targeting consumers to get personal information and money. Delivery scams seem to be popping up with more frequency with the popularity of online ordering. This is how we have seen this scam work.

Someone calls or emails claiming to be your mail carrier or a parcel delivery service saying they were unable to deliver a package to your home. If you don’t remember ordering anything for delivery, the caller may try to convince you the package is a gift from a friend or relative. The caller may sound friendly and professional, making the scam harder to spot. The email messages also look legitimate – containing official logos and using professional language.

This is the point where BBB sees scammers getting demanding. The caller will ask you to verify personal information or give them your credit card information to reschedule the delivery. Email messages may ask you to click on a tracking link for your mystery package. When you click, you may download malware onto your computer, giving con artists access to personal information and passwords. No matter the method of contact, the package doesn’t exist. Sharing your personal information puts you at risk for identity theft.

BBB Tips to Avoid Package Delivery Scams

• Be wary of unsolicited communications. Package delivery companies will never contact you unsolicited via telephone call. Instead, if a package cannot be delivered, they usually will leave a note on your door.
• Track your packages. Always keep track of your online purchases and expected deliveries. Request tracking numbers so you will know when each package is due to arrive.
• Never give your personal information to strangers. Even when the caller is friendly, always use caution when asked for personal information. You can always hang up, look up the official customer service number, and directly contact the company to confirm their request.
• Never click on links in unsolicited emails. Links in emails can download malware onto your computer. Don’t click links in emails from people you don’t know or from companies who you have not asked to be contacted by. Be wary of official-looking email; popular brands can easily be spoofed.