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What are the worst Amazon scams and how to avoid them?
You have undoubtedly been shopping on Amazon for years with no issues. However, in the prominent eCommerce industry, you're now seeing frauds on a regular basis.
Many Amazon sellers have had a moment when their hands are in their hair and the question "Have I been scammed?" runs through their heads. We've put up a list of frequent Amazon scams and how to prevent them from assisting you in combating these risks to your online shop.
Every day, a new fraud or vulnerability is uncovered, so it's critical to take precautions to safeguard your company. Every swindled sale is a genuine one that is lost!
The Scam of the Failed Delivery
This fraud is as ancient as e-commerce itself, and it still happens on a regular basis. A buyer will buy an item online and then seek a refund or replacement if it does not come.
Of course, this may be true in some cases. However, you must take steps to avoid issuing incorrect refunds or replacements. Falling for this con will wipe out your profits and have a negative impact on your feedback and KPIs.
Sending pricey things to a customer via track-and-trace mail is a good idea. By confirming that the order was delivered and when it arrived, you will be protected in the event of a dispute. It also implies that no item may be delivered without someone signing for it when they get it.
The Scam of Replacement and Refund
This Amazon rip-off is precisely what it says on the tin. A buyer receives a product from a seller, who subsequently replaces it with a broken one and requests a refund. This con is particularly common in the secondhand games industry.
Scammers place an order for a game and then exchange it for a damaged or broken one, which they then return because it doesn't function. This is difficult since you can't confirm that the thing worked before you shipped it. You may even go to the trouble of recording and publishing a video of yourself performing. Most merchants, however, will not be able to do so. Even images are suspect evidence since the photo may not be genuine.
This con may be avoided by doing a quality check and then using a tamper-proof sticker. The stickers are meant to break if they are attempted to be removed from the goods. They're cheap to buy in bulk online, and they're an excellent way to tell if the product you sent out is the one you sent out. To further deter prospective fraudsters, include in the item description that you have quality-tested the goods and that it comes with a sticker guarantee.
The replace and refund fraud was considerably easier to pull off before Amazon changed its return policy. Before being apprehended, a 22-year-old fraudster was able to con his way to $370,000 using this strategy.
Phishing scams
Phishing (also known as spoofing) occurs when someone contacts you purporting to be from a reputable company such as Amazon. They then try to obtain your personal information in order to steal your money or perhaps your identity.
On Amazon, attempted phishing schemes are rather prevalent, with increasingly complex techniques of collecting personal data being devised on a regular basis. Even if you've heard of phishing, it's good brushing up on the subject to avoid having your Amazon business ripped off.
The majority of Amazon phishing scams are sent by e-mail. However, some scammers may also send SMS messages. Malicious viruses can be found in links and attachments in phishing e-mails and messages. These will collect passwords and personal data from the devices in use.
Also, be on the lookout for imposter callers posing as Amazon representatives phoning concerning your account. Never give any personal information over the phone. If you're being asked questions you don't understand, you should end the conversation right away.
If you get any strange phone calls, e-mails, or text messages, you should immediately report them to Amazon.
Scams through e-mail
These are the simplest yet most efficient Amazon frauds.
Amazon will never ask for personal information and will never publish a customer's e-mail or shipping address. Don't be deceived by a seemingly genuine address.
It's important to keep in mind that Amazon will never ask you to log in using your e-mail address.
Even if the e-mail appears to be legitimate, only signing in directly to Amazon can ensure the security of your account.
Amazon e-mail scam
Even if an e-mail from Amazon appears to be authentic, you should never use e-mail to log into your account. [Source]
It's a frequent fallacy that if the sender's e-mail address is visible, it must be authentic. Because all e-mails from purchasers are visible in your seller central account, disregard any communications coming from non-Amazon e-mail addresses.
Never dispatch an item unless it appears in "Your Orders." If an order does not appear on your order list, delete the e-mail and do not respond.
Scammers create fake orders and ask for payment and shipping information in order to trick you into handing up your personal information. Similarly, if you receive an e-mail with an attachment that you aren't sure about, delete the e-mail and don't open the attachment.
The e-mail's poor punctuation, spelling, and language are red flags that it is not from Amazon. Of course, some Amazon con artists are more clever than others, so don't base your decision only on this information. If you're unsure, contact Amazon Support, who will be able to confirm any communications sent to your account.
Be very wary of any links you receive in exchange for cash. One of these domains is usually used for Amazon payments −
//payments.amazon.com
//authorize.payments.amazon.com
//resolutioncenter.payments.amazon.com
If you're not sure about a link, don't click it. If you submitted your Amazon Payments account information after clicking through from a fraudulent or suspicious e-mail, you should change your Amazon.com password right away. Maybe you went a step further and submitted your bank account information. If this is the case, you should immediately call your bank.
How to Spot an Amazon Fraud
Here are a few tips to help you figure out whether it's a hoax −
Examine the e-mail with care. It's probably not to be believed if there were grammar problems, broken language, or indicators of machine translation.
Examine the message's tonality. The presence of a sense of haste or desperation is a telltale symptom of a con;
Keep an eye out for URLs or e-mail addresses that seem like actual websites or senders. It's almost certainly a fraud if a vendor asks you to pay using a method other than Amazon's official payment system or to pay with gift cards rather than cash.
The same may be said in most circumstances where something appears to be too wonderful to be true. It's a scam if you've got a $1,000 Amazon certificate that demands you to click on a shady URL in order to use it.
It's also worth noting that Amazon representatives will never −
People are asked to confirm or supply personal information or credentials;
Demands that they be paid for their services;
Any third-party program will prompt you to install it.
How to Avoid Scams on Amazon
Make no payments outside of Amazon's system.
Do not click on any suspicious links. Log in to your Amazon account via their website or the official app if you want to double-check something. You didn't make it if the order isn't stated there;
Never give your personal information or credentials to anyone posing as Amazon representatives.
When selling something, always utilize track-and-trace postage.
If you have any doubts about an e-mail or message, call Amazon to double-check it with one of their authentic staff.
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