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Between October 1, 2019, and January 16, 2020, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) identified 571 reports of Amazon Prime-related Computer Software Service Fraud. The scam has seen fraudsters steal more than £1million from victims.
Action Fraud has said that one victim, a man from Glasgow in his 60s, has lost more than £65,000.
The scam, which Action Fraud first reported on in October, involves victims receiving an automated call, informing them that they have been charged for an Amazon Prime subscription.
The victims are then instructed to “press one” on their handset, in order to “cancel” the transaction.
Upon doing this, they are then directed to a fraudster, who is posing as an Amazon customer service representative.
READ MORE: HMRC tax scam warning: How you can easily reduce risk of falling victim
Amazon Prime scam warning: Action Fraud have issued an alert about the scam (Image: GETTY)
The fraudster then advises the victim that their so-called subscription was purchased fraudulently.
They claim that remote access to their computer is required in order to fix a “security flaw” that would prevent it from reoccurring.
The victim is asked to download a remote access application.
Action Fraud says that this is often the “Team Viewer” app, which grants the fraudster access to the victim’s computer.
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This software is then misused by the criminal, who can monitor the victim logging onto their online bank account.
It allows the fraudster to see the victim’s personal and financial details.
There are also other variants of the crime, and this can involve fraudsters stating that the recipient is eligible for a refund for an unauthorised transaction on their Amazon account.
So, what steps can be taken to protect oneself from fraud?
Amazon Prime scam warning: Action Fraud said a man in his 60s (not pictured) lost more than £65,000 (Image: GETTY)
Action Fraud warns of three top tips people can adopt in order to reduce the risk.
These are:
Personal information
Always question uninvited approaches in case it’s a scam. Instead, contact the company directly using a known email or phone number.
Stay in control
Have the confidence to refuse unusual requests for personal or financial information. It’s easy to feel embarrassed when faced with unexpected or complex conversations. But it’s fine to stop the discussion if you do not feel in control of it.
Remote access
Never install any software or visit a website as a result of a cold call. Unsolicited requests for remote access to your computer should always raise a red flag.
Action Fraud is reminding members of the public that if they have been a victim of fraud or cyber crime, they can report it to Action Fraud online, or by calling 0300 123 2040.
A spokesperson for Amazon said: ““We take phishing and spoofing attempts on our customers seriously, and will never call a customer for payment outside of our website.
“If a customer has concerns or receives a call they believe is not from Amazon, they can check the Amazon.co.uk help pages for guidance.”
Amazon also said: “Customers should never provide personal or financial information to unsolicited callers, or ask them to take any actions on their Amazon account.
“Customers can also report fraudulent activity to Citizens Advice or Action Fraud.”