The Barnstable Massachusetts Police Department recently issued a warning about a new text message scam in which the scammers pose as Amazon.  Recently there has been an increase in the number of people receiving phony text messages that purport to be sent from Amazon telling you that you are eligible for a “price difference refund” but that you need to click on a link to verify your account information in order to receive the payment.  These phony text messages, called “smishing” generally either attempt to lure you into providing personal information that will be used to make you a victim or identity theft or try to persuade you to click on a link that will download malware.

A famous bank robber was once asked why he robbed banks to which he responded, “because that is where the money is” which is why it is not surprising that scammers have used Amazon as the basis for a wide variety of scams due to so many people buying products through Amazon.

Here is a copy of the presently circulating phony text message:

“(Amazon) Price Adjustment Refund Notification.  We regret to infomr you that due to a price drop, your recent order is eligible for a price difference refund.  Please click the link below to log into your Amazon account and verify your details, and we will process the refund promptly. (Note, I have removed the link)  Once verified the refund will be processed to your account shortly.  Thank you for choosing Amazon!”

One good indication that this is a scam is that it indicates that they regret to inform you that you are eligible for a refund, which makes no sense whatsoever.

You can provide a phone number for Amazon to text you alerts and notifications regarding your account so how can you tell if a text message is legitimate?  The real Amazon will never ask for your password or personal information in a text message.

TIPS

If you have a question about your Amazon account, you can either contact them through their website at https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html or call them at 1 (888) 280-4331.  Don’t trust any text message that purports to be from Amazon. Through the technique called “spoofing” scammers can make the text message appear to come from Amazon.   If you think a text message you receive appearing to come from Amazon might be legitimate, merely call them at 1-(888) 280-4331.

It is a good practice to never click on a link in a text message or email unless you have absolutely confirmed that it is legitimate.

Here is a link to information Amazon provides about steps you can take to make your account more secure. https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=21599686011

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