Amazon fraud?

[topgun2]

Early yesterday afternoon I placed an Amazon order for several items that I had in my "cart".  Then early yesterday evening I received a phone call from Amazon where a recorded message from a very professional lady told me that there were some "problems/irregular transactions" in my account and that Amazon was placing restrictions on the account.  If I wanted to immediately speak to an agent I was instructed to "press 1".  

This call was fairly similar to emails that we have received from our bank in the past when a charge was mistakenly doubled or when we had purchased something a bit out of the ordinary.  However, all of the contacts with our bank had been via email - as per our request.  I didn't remember how we had told Amazon to contact us in the event of "issues" but one of those little voices in the back of my head said something just wasn't "right" with this call.  Therefore, instead of immediately talking to an agent, I hung up and went to my Amazon account.  There were no messages from Amazon there and all appeared exceedingly normal with the orders I had placed earlier in the day.  So, I contacted Amazon and once I got past their computer's myriad of questions I actually got to talk with a real person.  After explaining the reason for the call I was placed on hold and two minutes later they came back and said that there was no internal record of Amazon trying to contact me and that all appeared in order with my account.

Also, I know that this phone call was not associated in any way with this Forum in that I have never given my phone number out on the Forum and it is not stored anywhere on the Forum. 

Given the amount of purchases that many (all) of us make on Amazon and the time of year that it is, I urge all of us to be very careful.  If something just doesn't seem right or if you have that little voice in the back of your head talking to you then just pause for a moment and check things out.

Bill

p.s.  Just for grins - I also changed the password to my Amazon account!

Edited December 6, 2020 by topgun2
added p.s.

[Mike and Carol]

Bill, you were smart to listen to that little voice and check it out on the Amazon site.  I’ve had a couple of similar calls and emails that look official but can be checked out fairly quickly.  I think they expect some folks to go into panic mode and not be prudent.  Keep calm and check ‘em out.  Mike

[BackofBeyond]

I am continually amazed at the number and sophistication of the attacks on our internet related purchases, and financial transactions. More frustrating is the customer service portals that keep you on the phone - pressing one number alter another- just hoping to end up with a real person. Happy to see Amazon does employ real people.  Your cautionary tale is certainly one we all should keep in the forefront as we go about our daily lives.

Your tale reminds me of some fake fuel purchases made during a trip in 2019. Convincing the bank we didn't make the purchase took an act of congress. Given we were in WY, and the fraud was in Florida, and the bank officials could clearly see the transactions, minutes apart - it was frustrating. So beware is a good mindset.

I have gone to the fullest - strictest-  most restrictive protections on my financial accounts - it is a hassle - but so was earning the $$ in the first place. 

It goes against my person - but I've come to distrust everyone and everything until proven otherwise. Well maybe not - fully - but it is there in the back of my mind - beating on my conscious. 

  Appreciate the heads up Topgun.

RB

[Maverick]

5 hours ago, topgun2 said:

Early yesterday afternoon I placed an Amazon order for several items that I had in my "cart".  Then early yesterday evening I received a phone call from Amazon where a recorded message from a very professional lady told me that there were some "problems/irregular transactions" in my account and that Amazon was placing restrictions on the account.  If I wanted to immediately speak to an agent I was instructed to "press 1".  

This call was fairly similar to emails that we have received from our bank in the past when a charge was mistakenly doubled or when we had purchased something a bit out of the ordinary.  However, all of the contacts with our bank had been via email - as per our request.  I didn't remember how we had told Amazon to contact us in the event of "issues" but one of those little voices in the back of my head said something just wasn't "right" with this call.  Therefore, instead of immediately talking to an agent, I hung up and went to my Amazon account.  There were no messages from Amazon there and all appeared exceedingly normal with the orders I had placed earlier in the day.  So, I contacted Amazon and once I got past their computer's myriad of questions I actually got to talk with a real person.  After explaining the reason for the call I was placed on hold and two minutes later they came back and said that there was no internal record of Amazon trying to contact me and that all appeared in order with my account.

Also, I know that this phone call was not associated in any way with this Forum in that I have never given my phone number out on the Forum and it is not stored anywhere on the Forum. 

Given the amount of purchases that many (all) of us make on Amazon and the time of year that it is, I urge all of us to be very careful.  If something just doesn't seem right or if you have that little voice in the back of your head talking to you then just pause for a moment and check things out.

Bill

p.s.  Just for grins - I also changed the password to my Amazon account!

Bill, I have had this same type of call from someone saying they were calling from Amazon; I have never ordered anything from Amazon or don't even have an account with them.

[Landrover]

The problem is these types of criminals are making big money on unsuspected people the more money they make the more  sophisticated they become.  There is a world of information out there on any one. Thanks in part to social media. Do a google search of your name, you’ll be surprised how much information is out there on you. And for $29.95 you can get a full history of yourself. Including bank records where you live and where you  lived before phone numbers criminal history etc.  These days you do need that little voice in your head. This doesn’t sound right.

[SeaDawg]

We got (yet another) spam/phishng email from someone claiming to be Amazon just today. Probably the 3rd this month.

The phone scams are really dangerous with the elderly. I finally got my mom to quit answering the phone unless she knew the caller, but now she can't see the info on her cell phone. So, a few months ago, I installed a magic jack phone on her internet connection, and an att phone system that voice announces callers by name. I loaded all her contacts into the system,  and if a name she knows isn't announced, she doesn't answer. 

She lets me look through unknown numbers and calls each day when I visit. The system also has callblock. 

The holidays are rife with scammers, sadly. Most don't leave messages, and if they do, they're pretty easily recognized as scamners.

Edited December 6, 2020 by SeaDawg

[Mattnan]

Thanks for sharing this.  Great information and benefits us all.  These scams SUCK!!