Why that Amazon product recall text is probably a scam

Amazon Prime customers are the latest group of consumers to be targeted by scammers, cybersecurity experts say.

According to a Feb. 4 X post from Guardio Security, hackers are impersonating Amazon's product recall messages in an attempt to steal your Amazon Prime account information.

"'Your Amazon order has been recalled.' If you recently got this text message, it’s a sneaky phishing scam designed to hijack your Amazon account," the Tel Aviv, Israel-based cybersecurity platform said.

According to a screenshot shared by Guardio, scammers inform the customer that a recent purchase has been included in an "official" recall.

The sender also includes a link to a "high-quality fake" Amazon webpage that prompts you to provide contact information for the account as well as your password.

According to Amazon, of all the scams impersonating Amazon reported by its customers globally in 2023, over two-thirds of scams claimed to be related to order or account issues.

"Scammers that attempt to impersonate Amazon put consumers at risk," Amazon said in a Feb. 6 statement. "We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance."

Amazon encourages customers to report 'suspected scams'

In addition to offering literature on how to both identify and report scams, Amazon encourages consumers to report any suspicious activity to the company so "we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe."

In 2024, Amazon initiated takedowns of more than 55,000 phishing websites and 12,000 phone numbers being used as part of impersonation schemes, according to the company.

Amazon says it will "never" request sensitive information outside of its website, or app. According to Amazon, avoid responding, or clicking links provided by the sender.

The easiest way to verify the legitimacy of a message is to either contact Amazon Customer Service directly, or verify the details of the claim by logging into your account online or on the app.

According to Forbes, Amazon also boasts passkeys to protect accounts, and more than 300 million of its customers have now upgraded their security to stay safe.

Because "no one is immune to scams, nor should anyone feel embarrassment when they are targeted," Amazon has six tips that can help you stay one step ahead of bad actors:

• Verify purchases on Amazon.
• Trust Amazon’s app and website.
• Be wary of false urgency.
• Don’t be pressured into buying a gift card.
• Contact us.
• Check what others are saying.