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Deceptions such as phony emails from people impersonating online retailers like Amazon are nothing new. But phishing attempts increase amid the heavy spending seen during significant sales events, whether it’s Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day, according to the Better Business Bureau.
“This is a huge moment on the retail calendar,” Josh Planos, vice president of communications and public relations at the Better Business Bureau, previously told The Associated Press. “And because of that, it represents an enormous opportunity for a scammer, con artist, or even just an unethical business or organization to capitalize on the moment and separate folks from their hard-earned money.”
Prime Day, a two-day discount event for Amazon Prime members, kicked off on July 16 and ran through July 17. In updated guidance published, the Better Business Bureau reminded consumers to watch out for lookalike websites, too-good-to-be-true social media ads, and unsolicited emails or calls during sales events.
Consumers might need to be more vigilant this year than ever before. In June, the Better Business Bureau published a report that said it received a record number of phishing reports in 2023. Reports are also trending up so far this year, the organization said.
“Typically, the bones remain the same,” Planos said, pointing to fake delivery scams, email phishing, and other repeated methods. “It’s always a ploy to separate consumers from (their) personal and payment information.”
But online hoaxes are also constantly evolving to become more sophisticated, Planos and others warn. That means images might look more legitimate, text messages may sound more convincing, and fake websites that look very similar to real shopping destinations.
Amazon’s Knapp has said that with artificial intelligence “starting to leak in,” the scams targeting e-commerce shoppers follow the same approach but with a machine populating an email or text instead of a person.
Both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Better Business Bureau provide consumers with tips to avoid scams year-round. Guidance includes blocking unwanted messages, not giving financial information to unsolicited callers, and checking links before clicking.
Scammers will often pressure you to act immediately, experts say. It’s important to pause and trust your gut. Experts also urge consumers to report scams to regulators.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.