Amazon Scams: How to Spot & Avoid

Amazon is one of the biggest companies in the world. With over 300 million active customers globally, it’s hard to avoid.

For most people, it’s a brilliant platform. Fast delivery, easy returns, a huge library of films and TV shows for Prime members, and access to almost anything you could need. But its sheer size also makes it a target for criminals.

That’s why knowing how to spot an Amazon scam could protect you and your money. This guide covers the most common types of Amazon scams, how to report them, and what to do if you’ve already been targeted, including how to seek legal support.

What Is an Amazon Scam?

An Amazon scam is when a fraudster tries to trick you out of money – whether they’re posing as a fake buyer, a fake seller, or Amazon itself.

According to cybersecurity firm Darktrace, Amazon is the most mimicked brand in the world. During Black Friday 2025, phishing attacks involving Amazon surged by 620%, with Amazon accounting for 80% of all phishing attacks linked to major global brands.

Here are some of the most common ways these scams happen.

Common Amazon Scams by Sellers

• Fake listings: Fraudsters post fake product listings with made-up reviews and edited photos, designed to trick buyers into paying for something that doesn’t exist or isn’t as described.
• Requests to communicate outside Amazon: Scam sellers might ask you to pay through Cash App, PayPal, or a fake website. Doing so removes the payment protection you’d normally have through the platform, making it much harder to get your money back.
• Too good to be true: If a listing looks great but the price seems suspiciously low, be cautious. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.
• Wrong address scam: Some fraudulent sellers ship items to an address they control rather than yours. If you report non-delivery, they can produce proof of postage, making a refund claim much more difficult.
• Fake reviews: Scammers may use AI tools to generate fake five-star reviews on fraudulent listings, creating a false sense of trustworthiness.
• Misleading descriptions: Listings that describe a product inaccurately or omit key details about its quality or condition are a common tactic.
• Mystery boxes: These listings promise an exciting assortment of items, but often contain cheap, low-quality goods that aren’t worth what you paid.

Common Amazon Scams by Buyers

• Requests to communicate outside Amazon: Fraudulent buyers may ask to move conversations off-platform (via PayPal, for example) to avoid fees or negotiate a side deal. This removes your protections as a seller.
• Overpayment scams: A scammer “overpays” using a fake credit card and asks you to refund the difference via bank transfer or another untraceable method. By the time the original payment bounces, you’ve already sent the money.
• Fake damage claims: Using AI-generated images, fraudulent buyers can create convincing pictures of “damaged” items to claim refunds on goods they’ve received in perfect condition.

Scams From Amazon Impersonators

Impersonation scams are one of the most common forms of fraud in the UK, and Amazon is one of the most frequently impersonated brands. Fraudsters go to great lengths to make their communications look and sound like the real thing, but there are always signs to watch out for.

• Scam calls: Cold callers claim to be from Amazon Support and ask you to share sensitive personal or financial information. This is one of the most common types of Amazon scams.
• Amazon Prime subscription scam emails: Fraudsters send emails or texts claiming there’s an issue with your Amazon Prime subscription and asking you to follow a link to update your payment details.
• Phishing scams: Scammers posing as Amazon may contact you by email, text or through the platform itself, asking for personal or financial information.
• Suspicious attachments: Some phishing messages include malicious attachments disguised as invoices. Opening them can download malware onto your device.
• Fake websites: Fraudulent links, often sent by email or text, lead to convincing fake Amazon pages designed to steal your login credentials or financial details.
• Fake refund scams: An impersonator may claim there’s a problem with one of your recent orders and that you’re owed a refund. They’ll ask you to click a link and enter your details, which are then stolen.
• Prime Video scams: Fraudsters create fake tutorial websites, for example, guides on how to set up Prime Video on a TV, that prompt you to enter your Amazon login credentials.
• Gift card scams: A scammer contacts you, claiming there’s an urgent issue with your account. They ask you to purchase an Amazon gift card and share the code with them to “resolve” it. Amazon will never ask you to do this.
• Job scams: Fake “Amazon recruiters” post listings for high-paying remote work opportunities. Their real aim is to harvest your personal information.

You can learn more about how to identify Amazon impersonation attempts from Amazon’s official scam guidance.

Other Types of Amazon Scams

• Account hacking: Criminals may gain access to your Amazon account to post fake listings, make expensive purchases or steal personal data.
• Identity theft: Personal information stored in your Amazon profile can be used by scammers to commit identity fraud.
• Brushing scams: A third-party seller sends you unsolicited packages so they can post fake “verified purchase” reviews under your name, inflating their product’s ratings.
• Porch pirates: Thieves stealing parcels from doorsteps can sometimes use personal information found inside to attempt access to your Amazon account. If you’ve received a suspicious delivery notification, it’s also worth reading our guide on Royal Mail scams. Fraudsters often use fake delivery alerts as a hook.
• Amazon Alexa scams: Fraudsters can manipulate Alexa search results to redirect users to fake phone numbers in place of legitimate ones, such as Amazon’s own customer support line.

Is Amazon Safe To Buy From?

Yes. Amazon is a legitimate, international company and is generally considered a safe marketplace.

The platform uses secure payment processing, encrypted transactions and seller verification to help protect buyers. It also keeps all buyer-seller communication within the platform by default.

Amazon actively works to tackle fraud, monitoring for suspicious listings, removing counterfeit products and using automated tools to detect unusual account activity.

That said, no platform is completely free from bad actors. Knowing the warning signs is your best defence.

Amazon Scam Laws in the UK

Amazon scams are serious criminal offences under English law and are covered by the Fraud Act 2006. These scams often involve fake listings, counterfeit goods, impersonation of genuine sellers, or attempts to deceive buyers into handing over money or personal information.

Some scams may also fall under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, particularly where fraudsters create phishing pages or fake Amazon websites designed to steal login details or banking information.

Where a scam involves someone’s personal data being accessed without permission, such as unauthorised access to an Amazon account or identity theft, the Data Protection Act 2018 may also apply.

The consequences for those convicted of Amazon fraud can be severe, including up to 10 years in prison, significant fines and confiscation of assets. However, recovering money you’ve lost can be challenging, which is why many victims turn to specialist fraud solicitors like CEL Solicitors, who can guide you through your options and work to protect your rights.

How To Spot an Amazon Scam

Scammers can be clever – their listings, messages and reviews can look surprisingly convincing. But mistakes are usually what give them away.

• Lack of detail: Does the product listing feel sparse? Is the seller’s profile brand new or unusually inactive? Legitimate sellers typically have detailed profiles and listings designed to build buyer confidence.
• Slow responses or being ghosted: Good sellers and buyers usually respond within 24 hours. If someone goes quiet, especially after you’ve made a partial payment, treat it as a warning sign.
• Urgent or threatening language: Messages that say things like “your account will be suspended” or that set a tight deadline to pay fees, are designed to make you panic and act quickly. Slow down before you do anything.
• Poor spelling and grammar: Especially when combined with an odd tone – too aggressive, too casual, or just “off” – this is often a telltale sign of a scam.
• Mismatched branding: If you’ve received an email from “Amazon” but the logos, colours or layout don’t look quite right, be suspicious. Scam emails often look slightly off.
• Suspicious sender addresses: Check the email address carefully. Even small changes, like “[email protected]” instead of the real domain, are a giveaway. You can find out more from Amazon’s guide to identifying fake emails.
• Suspicious links: Be careful about clicking any links in emails or texts claiming to be from Amazon. These may lead to fake websites designed to steal your details.

Reporting an Amazon Scam

If you think you’ve been targeted, reporting it is the most important first step — both to protect yourself and to help prevent others from being caught out in the same way.

To report to Amazon directly, you can forward any suspected scam emails or texts as an attachment to: [email protected]. You’ll receive an automated confirmation reply. You can also use this address even if you don’t have an Amazon account.

If you’ve been scammed online, it’s also a good idea to:

• Run an anti-virus and anti-malware scan on your device
• Clear your browser’s cookies
• Reset the password on your email account

This helps protect your accounts and devices from any further infiltration.

To report to the authorities, forward any phishing communications to [email protected], where the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) will investigate. If you’re in England or Wales, you should also report to Report Fraud – the UK’s national reporting centre for cybercrime and fraud. You’ll receive a police crime reference number, which can be used to support a recovery or legal claim.

What To Do If You’ve Been Scammed on Amazon

Whether it was a fake product listing, an off-platform payment request, identity fraud, or a suspicious message from “Amazon Support”, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and strengthen any potential claim.

1. Document Everything

Start by gathering as much evidence as you can. This includes screenshots of fake listings, suspicious messages, emails and texts, any unusual links or attachments, and a note of any email addresses or details that seem off.

If you’ve shared personal or financial information (like bank details, PayPal login, etc.), make a note of exactly what you shared and when. The more evidence you have, the stronger your position.

2. Secure Your Accounts

Check and secure any accounts that may have been affected. Your Amazon account, email and bank account. Look out for anything unfamiliar.

If you’ve shared banking information, contact your bank directly. They can flag the account for suspicious activity and issue you a new card if needed.

3. Report the Scam

Before making a legal claim for financial loss, you’ll need to report the scam. As covered above, this means:

• Reporting to Amazon at [email protected]
• Reporting to Action Fraud to get a crime reference number
• Contacting your bank if financial details were shared
• Flagging the scam as phishing to your email provider (Gmail, Outlook, etc.)

How To Make an Amazon Scam Claim

Once you’ve documented the scam, secured your accounts and reported it to the relevant authorities, you may be able to make a claim for the money you’ve lost.

There are two main routes:

Civil claims: If you’ve suffered a financial loss, you may be able to bring a civil claim against the scammer to recover your money. In successful cases, this can result in compensation being awarded. Our fraud and scam recovery team can guide you through this process.

Criminal investigations: For more serious scams involving larger sums, the police or cybercrime authorities may pursue the scammer. This route doesn’t typically lead to direct compensation, but it can help prevent others from being targeted.

It’s worth being aware that scammers who impersonate legitimate companies like Amazon often hide behind fake identities, operate through overseas networks, and change their contact details frequently. This can make them very difficult to trace, and legal action is not always straightforward.

Choose CEL Solicitors for Amazon Scam Claims

We understand how distressing it can be to fall victim to an Amazon scam – both emotionally and financially. You are not alone, and we’re here to help.

Our specialist fraud team has a proven track record of recovering millions for clients who’ve been targeted by scammers. We work on a No-Win, No-Fee basis, so there’s nothing to pay upfront — giving you access to expert legal support without any financial risk.

Your first consultation is completely free. We’ll listen carefully, review your situation and give you clear, honest advice on your next steps.

If you’ve been targeted on another marketplace too, our guide to eBay scams covers what to watch out for there as well.

Ready to find out if you have a claim? Call our team today on 0151 909 8212 or enquire online for a free, no-obligation consultation.