89% of buyers</a> are more likely to buy products from Amazon than other ecommerce sites. All things considered, it is among the safest platforms for online shopping. \r\nSadly, not even Amazon is safe from scammers. Despite the platform’s strict seller verification processes, scammers do slip through the cracks and it can be a while before they are caught. Before being booted off Amazon, a scammer can end up trapping several victims and steal their money. \r\nAmazon scams can occur from both sides. It is not always the seller who scams the buyer as there are many unscrupulous people who place orders with the intention of defrauding the seller or even Amazon itself. Fake job offers from people posing as Amazon executives are also common. In this article, we will only be looking at scams that affect buyers on Amazon. \r\n \r\n<h2>Types of Amazon Scams</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Fake products: Counterfeits and bait-and-switch are scams that you need to watch out for. Sellers might list products as genuine using images and descriptions of the real product but deliver fakes instead. Many buyers may not even realize that they have been sent counterfeit products. In other cases, the product may be completely different compared to the listed item. In 2020 alone, Amazon blocked <a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/consumer/amazon-says-it-blocked-10-billion-suspected-counterfeit-listings/">10 billion listings</a> of counterfeit products. </li>\r\n<li>Fake reviews: Fake reviews are a shockingly common problem on Amazon, with as many as <a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/how-merchants-secretly-use-facebook-to-flood-amazon-with-fake-reviews/2018/04/23/5dad1e30-4392-11e8-8569-26fda6b404c7_story.html/">67% of reviews</a> in certain categories being flagged as ‘questionable’. A recent data leak also revealed a large-scale fake review scam involving 200,000 individuals. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t trust reviews at all, rather you should not trust them blindly. Many sellers also <a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YjEdaU1xTc\%22>offer free products or gift cards</a> in exchange for positive reviews.</li>\r\n</ul>"}},{"_template":"Articles\\ImageHalf","_identifier":"block-17108","data":{"imageLeft":"https://whitelabel-manager-production.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbs/f857d05-copy-9bb8a.jpg_900x.jpg","imageRight":null}},{"_template":"Articles\\Text","_identifier":"block-17111","data":{"text":"<ul>\r\n<li>Payment Scams: Some Amazon sellers may contact you off the platform and offer a discount if you agree to make a purchase outside the platform. This can be extremely risky as Amazon’s customer satisfaction guarantees no longer apply once you take the transaction off Amazon. If the seller sends a damaged or fake product, or doesn’t send anything at all, it will be very hard to get your money back.  </li>\r\n<li>Fake Customer Support Scams: There are scammers posing as customer support representatives from Amazon who call buyers regarding fake problems with their account or order. In many cases, they somehow obtain information that you would assume that only Amazon would have. They may ask for sensitive information such as person or payment details over the phone, which they will then use for identity theft or unauthorized transactions. </li>\r\n<li>Phishing Scams: There are also several variations of emails and messages that attempt to mimic those sent by Amazon. These contain fake links that lead to login or payment pages that look exactly like Amazon, but send the information to scammers. Variations include messages about free gifts, failed delivery, returns or replacements, renewal or cancellation of Prime subscriptions and more.</li>\r\n</ul>"}},{"_template":"Articles\\ImageHalf","_identifier":"block-17123","data":{"imageLeft":"https://whitelabel-manager-production.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbs/screenshot-20210510-185102-01-58a63.jpg_900x.jpg","imageRight":null}},{"_template":"Articles\\ImageHalf","_identifier":"block-17126","data":{"imageLeft":"https://whitelabel-manager-production.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbs/screenshot-20210510-185113-b7b7b.jpg_900x.jpg","imageRight":null}},{"_template":"Articles\\Text","_identifier":"block-17129","data":{"text":"<h2>How to Avoid Amazon Scams</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Compare prices with other sellers: Try to find multiple sellers who are offering the same product. The prices should be roughly the same across the board. If one seller’s price is considerably lower than others, say more than 20%, there’s a fair chance that they may be selling fakes. If there is only one seller for the item on Amazon, compare the price on other platforms. You can also install an extension such as <a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"https://www.fakespot.com//">Fakespot for easy comparison. </li>\r\n<li>Read the reviews: Looking at the ratings of a product alone can prove to be an easy way for getting scammed. Delving a bit deeper into the reviews might reveal hints that they are not genuine. Read our article about <a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"scam-reports/tips-support/3521/how-to-recognize-fake-reviews/">recognizing fake reviews</a> to know the signs to watch out for. </li>\r\n<li>Don’t share account or payment details over the phone: There is no problem that can only be solved over the phone. If you receive a call about a problem with an order or your Amazon account, never share sensitive details with the person at the other end of the line no matter how convincing they sound. You can get off the call and log in to Amazon directly to check if there really is an issue. </li>\r\n<li>Don’t click on links in emails and messages: Clicking on links can be dangerous too because they can lead to pages that are exactly identical to Amazon’s website but are operated by scammers. To be sure about your account status or activity, visit Amazon directly through the app or by typing in the URL in your browser. Here are <a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=G4YFYCCNUSENA23B\%22>some useful tips</a> by Amazon themselves about identifying potentially malicious communications.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>What to Do If You Get Caught in an Amazon Scam</h2>\r\nMaybe you reached this page a little too late and have already fallen victim to an Amazon scam. Follow the steps mentioned by Amazon for a resolution:\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=help_search_1-6?ie=UTF8&nodeId=GPXKBLY3LY4ZNG5H&qid=1621005421&sr=1-6\%22>Report a Security Issue</a></li>\r\n<li><a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=help_search_1-3?ie=UTF8&nodeId=GRGRY7AQ3LMPXVCV&qid=1621005421&sr=1-3\%22>Report Suspicious Emails, Phone Calls, Text Messages, or Webpages</a></li>\r\n<li><a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=help_search_1-4?ie=UTF8&nodeId=G33XVXQPUV79Z2ZC&qid=1621006034&sr=1-4\%22>Report Unsolicited Package or Brushing Scams</a></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n If you have any feedback regarding the article or would like to report issues such as broken links, please feel free to <a href=https://www.scamadviser.com/"contact/">contact us</a>."}}],"sidebarBlocks":[{"_template":"Small\\Content\\Cta","_identifier":"block-157084","data":{"title":"Report a Scam!","consumer":null,"description":"Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!","image":"https://files.scamadviser.com/thumbs/tell-your-story-8910e.png_200x200.png","button":"Report a Scam!","link":"https://www.scamadviser.com/leave-review"}},{"_template":"Small\\Content\\Taxonomy","_identifier":"block-157123","data":{"title":"Scam Categories","taxonomies":[{"id":7,"name":"Scam Alerts (896)","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/scam-alerts"},{"id":6,"name":"Scam Trends (331)","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/scam-trends"},{"id":8,"name":"Global Scam Country Guide (44)","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/global-scam-country-guide"},{"id":3,"name":"News about Scamadviser (41)","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/news-about-scamadviser"},{"id":5,"name":"Reliable Sites (37)","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/reliable-sites"},{"id":2,"name":"Research & Reports (26)","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/research-reports"},{"id":1,"name":"Tips & Support (24)","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/tips-support"},{"id":88,"name":"Fact Check (19)","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/fact-check"},{"id":87,"name":"Product Reviews (6)","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/product-reviews"},{"id":4,"name":"Advice for Companies (2)","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/advice-for-companies"}]}},{"_template":"Default\\Content\\Heading","_identifier":"block-59407","data":{"align":"","text":"Help & Info","size":"large"}},{"_template":"Default\\Content\\Articles","_identifier":"block-157795","data":{"articles":[{"_template":"Home\\Articles","_identifier":"block-157796","data":{"title":"Tips & Support","link":"","icon":"fa-lightbulb-o"}},{"_template":"Home\\Articles","_identifier":"block-157824","data":{"title":"Scam Alerts","link":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/scam-alerts","icon":"fa-exclamation-triangle"}},{"_template":"Home\\Articles","_identifier":"block-157839","data":{"title":"Learn about Scams","link":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/scam-trends","icon":"fa-tags"}},{"_template":"Home\\Articles","_identifier":"block-157854","data":{"title":"Reliable Sites","link":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/reliable-sites","icon":"fa-check-circle"}},{"_template":"Home\\Articles","_identifier":"block-157869","data":{"title":"Advice for Companies","link":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/advice-for-companies","icon":"fa-comment"}},{"_template":"Home\\Articles","_identifier":"block-157884","data":{"title":"Research & Reports","link":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/research-reports","icon":"fa-search"}},{"_template":"Home\\Articles","_identifier":"block-161131","data":{"title":"Global Scam Country Guide","link":"https://www.scamadviser.com/global-scam-country-guide","icon":"fa-globe"}}],"buttonText":"See all","buttonLink":"https://www.scamadviser.com/help-info"}},{"_template":"Default\\Content\\Heading","_identifier":"block-167997","data":{"align":"left","text":"Top Safety Picks","size":"large"}},{"_template":"Default\\Content\\Lists","_identifier":"block-167811","data":{"heading":"Your Go-To Tools for Online Safety","description":null,"listItems":[{"_template":"Default\\Items\\ListItem","_identifier":"block-167891","data":{"title":"ScamAdviser App - iOS","titleUrl":"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scamadviser/id6480509109","linkTarget":"1","text":"Your personal scam detector, on the go! Check website safety, report scams, and get instant alerts. Available on iOS"}},{"_template":"Default\\Items\\ListItem","_identifier":"block-167944","data":{"title":"ScamAdviser App - Android","titleUrl":"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tech.scamadviser","linkTarget":"1","text":"Your personal scam detector, on the go! Check website safety, report scams, and get instant alerts. Available on Android."}},{"_template":"Default\\Items\\ListItem","_identifier":"block-169734","data":{"title":"NordVPN","titleUrl":"http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-101566658-13382109","linkTarget":"1","text":"NordVPN keeps your connection private and secure whether you are at home, traveling, or streaming from another country. It protects your data, blocks unwanted ads and trackers, and helps you access your paid subscriptions anywhere. Try it Today!"}}]}},{"_template":"Default\\Content\\Heading","_identifier":"block-59517","data":{"align":"left","text":"Popular Stories","size":"large"}},{"_template":"Default\\Content\\Blogs","_identifier":"block-59530","data":{"items":[{"id":13,"title":"How to Recognize a Scam Website","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/how-to-recognize-a-scam-website","excerpt":"As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam.\r\nCommon Sense: Too Good To Be True\r\nWhen looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact.\r\nIf an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website.\r\nCheck Out the Social Media Links\r\nSocial media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu","buttonText":"Read more","renderAsInertiaLink":false},{"id":4,"title":"How Do I Get Money Back From a Scammer?","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/how-do-i-get-money-back-from-a-scammer","excerpt":"Disclaimer: This article was originally published in 2018 and has been updated in October 2025 to reflect more current information, resources, and advice. Scams and recovery options continue to evolve, so always double-check with your bank, payment provider, or local consumer protection authority for the latest guidance.\r\nSo the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!!\r\nIf you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking. \r\nIf you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used.\r\n\r\nPayPal\r\nDebit card/Credit card\r\nBank transfer\r\nWire transfer\r\nGoogle Pay\r\nBitcoin\r\n\r\nPayPal\r\nGood news: PayPal gives you strong protection. You can file a dispute within 180 days of your purchase.\r\nYou can get a refund if:\r\n\r\nYour order never arrives, and the seller cannot provide proof of delivery.\r\nThe scammer sends you something completely different (e.g., a controller instead of a PlayStation).\r\nThe product condition was misrepresented (sold as new but arrives used).\r\nThe item is missing undisclosed parts.\r\nThe item is counterfeit.\r\n\r\nStart your claim directly through Pay","buttonText":"Read more","renderAsInertiaLink":false}]}}],"meta":{"title":"How to Avoid Amazon Scams | Scamadviser","description":"Despite strong seller verification policies, Amazon is sadly not free from scams. Know about the common Amazon scams to watch out for and how to avoid them.","canonical":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/how-to-avoid-amazon-scams","alternates":[{"language":"x-default","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/how-to-avoid-amazon-scams"},{"language":"nl","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/nl/articles/amazon-scams-vermijden"},{"language":"pt","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/pt/articles/como-evitar-as-burlas-da-amazon"},{"language":"es","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/es/articles/como-evitar-las-estafas-de-amazon"},{"language":"de","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/de/articles/wie-man-amazon-betrug-vermeidet"},{"language":"fr","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/fr/articles/comment-eviter-les-escroqueries-sur-amazon"},{"language":"it","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/it/articles/come-evitare-le-truffe-di-amazon"},{"language":"uk","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/uk/articles/iak-unyknuty-shakhraystva-na-amazon"},{"language":"ro","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/ro/articles/cum-sa-evitati-escrocheriile-amazon"},{"language":"ru","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/ru/articles/kak-izbezhat-moshennichestva-na-amazon"},{"language":"zh","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/zh/articles/ru-he-bi-mian-ya-ma-xun-pian-ju"},{"language":"tc","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/tc/articles"},{"language":"ja","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/jp/articles/amazonzha-qi-wobi-kerufang-fa"}]},"language":"en","pendingCookieConsent":false,"navigation":{"items":{"data":[{"id":1082,"name":"Report a Scam","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/report-a-scam"},{"id":1028,"name":"Help & Info","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/help-info"},{"id":1100,"name":"Business","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/business"}]},"languages":{"current":"en","available":[{"label":"Deutsch","code":"de","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/de/articles/wie-man-amazon-betrug-vermeidet"},{"label":"English","code":"en","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/articles/how-to-avoid-amazon-scams"},{"label":"Español","code":"es","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/es/articles/como-evitar-las-estafas-de-amazon"},{"label":"Français","code":"fr","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/fr/articles/comment-eviter-les-escroqueries-sur-amazon"},{"label":"Italiano","code":"it","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/it/articles/come-evitare-le-truffe-di-amazon"},{"label":"日本","code":"jp","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/jp/articles/amazonzha-qi-wobi-kerufang-fa"},{"label":"Nederlands","code":"nl","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/nl/articles/amazon-scams-vermijden"},{"label":"Português","code":"pt","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/pt/articles/como-evitar-as-burlas-da-amazon"},{"label":"Romanian","code":"ro","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/ro/articles/cum-sa-evitati-escrocheriile-amazon"},{"label":"Russian","code":"ru","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/ru/articles/kak-izbezhat-moshennichestva-na-amazon"},{"label":"繁体中文","code":"tc","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/tc/articles"},{"label":"Ukrainian","code":"uk","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/uk/articles/iak-unyknuty-shakhraystva-na-amazon"},{"label":"简体中文","code":"zh","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/zh/articles/ru-he-bi-mian-ya-ma-xun-pian-ju"}]},"search":{"placeholders":{"website":"Search a website...","phone":"Search phone","crypto":"Search a cryptoaddress...","iban":"Search a IBAN address..."},"urls":{"website":"https://www.scamadviser.com/check-website","phone":"https://www.scamadviser.com/check-phone","crypto":"https://www.scamadviser.com/check-crypto","iban":"https://www.scamadviser.com/check-iban"}}},"footer":{"consumerSection":{"title":"For Consumers","items":{"data":[{"id":37,"name":"Report a Scam","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/leave-review"},{"id":1048,"name":"How to get your money back","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/how-to-get-your-money-back-from-a-scam"},{"id":1078,"name":"ScamAdviser App & Browser Extension","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/download-browser-extension-app"},{"id":1058,"name":"How to Recognize a Scam Website","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/how-to-recognize-a-scam-website"},{"id":1072,"name":"Check a site for me","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/check-a-site-for-me"}]}},"businessSection":{"title":"For Businesses","items":{"data":[{"id":1017,"name":"Claim your Website","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/claim-your-site"},{"id":1085,"name":"API & Data Feed","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/scamadviser-api"},{"id":1025,"name":"Install Our Logo","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/install-our-logo"},{"id":1015,"name":"Become our Partner","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/become-a-partner"},{"id":1023,"name":"Advertise on ScamAdviser","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/advertise-on-scamadviser"}]}},"aboutUsSection":{"title":"About Scamadviser","items":{"data":[{"id":20,"name":"About Us","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/about-scamadviser"},{"id":14,"name":"FAQ","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/faq"},{"id":1012,"name":"In the Press","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/in-the-press"},{"id":13,"name":"Contact","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/contact"}]}},"subFooter":{"items":{"data":[{"id":16,"name":"Privacy Policy","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/privacy-policy"},{"id":17,"name":"Terms & Conditions","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/terms-conditions"},{"id":1061,"name":"Imprint","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/imprint"},{"id":28,"name":"Disclaimer","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/disclaimer"},{"id":18,"name":"Content Guidelines","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/review-guidelines"},{"id":1039,"name":"Notice and Take Down","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/notice-and-take-down-procedure"},{"id":1040,"name":"Sitemap","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/sitemap"},{"id":1016,"name":"Copyright","url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/copyright-notice"}]}},"initiativeText":"ScamAdviser is a member of"},"socials":[{"url":"https://www.facebook.com/sadviser/","icon":"facebook-square"},{"url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCERAPMuOxhqOg6WqIDR1G2w","icon":"youtube"},{"url":"https://twitter.com/scamadviser","icon":"twitter-square"},{"url":"https://www.linkedin.com/company/scamadviser","icon":"linkedin-square"},{"url":"https://t.me/scamadviser_scammybot","icon":"telegram"},{"url":"https://wa.me/31612902070","icon":"whatsapp"},{"url":"https://www.scamadviser.com/scammy-chatbot","icon":"university"}]},"url":"/articles/how-to-avoid-amazon-scams","version":"472a7b2b27f5f2b8b659ec09e0c13097"}">

How to Avoid Amazon Scams

Scam Trends

#Phishing & Identity Theft #Online Shopping Scams #Fake Product Scams (Counterfeits)#Amazon Scams

Author: James Greening

May 14, 2021

Amazon is the most well-known global ecommerce platform. Operating since 1994, it started as an online bookstore but now you can find pretty much any product on the site. Thanks to its convenience, quality assurance and customer-protection policies, 89% of buyers are more likely to buy products from Amazon than other ecommerce sites. All things considered, it is among the safest platforms for online shopping.

Sadly, not even Amazon is safe from scammers. Despite the platform’s strict seller verification processes, scammers do slip through the cracks and it can be a while before they are caught. Before being booted off Amazon, a scammer can end up trapping several victims and steal their money.

Amazon scams can occur from both sides. It is not always the seller who scams the buyer as there are many unscrupulous people who place orders with the intention of defrauding the seller or even Amazon itself. Fake job offers from people posing as Amazon executives are also common. In this article, we will only be looking at scams that affect buyers on Amazon.

Types of Amazon Scams

Fake products: Counterfeits and bait-and-switch are scams that you need to watch out for. Sellers might list products as genuine using images and descriptions of the real product but deliver fakes instead. Many buyers may not even realize that they have been sent counterfeit products. In other cases, the product may be completely different compared to the listed item. In 2020 alone, Amazon blocked 10 billion listings of counterfeit products.
Fake reviews: Fake reviews are a shockingly common problem on Amazon, with as many as 67% of reviews in certain categories being flagged as ‘questionable’. A recent data leak also revealed a large-scale fake review scam involving 200,000 individuals.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t trust reviews at all, rather you should not trust them blindly. Many sellers also offer free products or gift cards in exchange for positive reviews.

Payment Scams: Some Amazon sellers may contact you off the platform and offer a discount if you agree to make a purchase outside the platform. This can be extremely risky as Amazon’s customer satisfaction guarantees no longer apply once you take the transaction off Amazon. If the seller sends a damaged or fake product, or doesn’t send anything at all, it will be very hard to get your money back.
Fake Customer Support Scams: There are scammers posing as customer support representatives from Amazon who call buyers regarding fake problems with their account or order. In many cases, they somehow obtain information that you would assume that only Amazon would have. They may ask for sensitive information such as person or payment details over the phone, which they will then use for identity theft or unauthorized transactions.
Phishing Scams: There are also several variations of emails and messages that attempt to mimic those sent by Amazon. These contain fake links that lead to login or payment pages that look exactly like Amazon, but send the information to scammers. Variations include messages about free gifts, failed delivery, returns or replacements, renewal or cancellation of Prime subscriptions and more.