Amazon is warning its over 300 million customers to watch out for cybercriminals who are out in force this holiday season impersonating reps from the e-commerce giant — as the FBI said online crooks have stolen nearly $300 million by taking over victims’ accounts so far this year.
The largest online retailer in the world recently emailed customers about criminals trying to “get access to sensitive information like personal or financial information or Amazon account details,” according to Forbes.
The warning came as the FBI said since January, it’s received 5,100 complaints about “account takeover fraud” — in which criminals gain illicit access to accounts in order to rip them off — inflicting losses of over $262 million.
In its Tuesday statement, the agency didn’t specify which companies were affected.
For its part, Amazon sounded the alarm about common fraud practices from fake delivery and account issue messages to unsolicited tech support calls.
The company also said to be careful about social media ads offering Amazon deals and requests for account or payment info through unofficial channels.
US customers received the emails earlier this month, with UK clients getting the messages this week, according to the company.
Amazon advised customers to only use its mobile app or website to communicate with customer service, and to set up a two-factor authentication process to prevent unauthorized account access.
The company also suggested using a passkey to sign into Amazon accounts.
In July, Amazon offered tips on how to avoid scammers who “create a sense of urgency to persuade you” or pressure customers into buying a gift card.
Two out of every three scams claimed to be about order or account issues, the company stated.
The FBI advised consumers to monitor their financial accounts on a regular basis, use “unique complex passwords” and avoid clicking on advertisements.
Last year, Amazon squashed more than 55,000 phishing websites and 12,000 phone numbers being used as part of impersonation schemes, the company said on its website.
