Amazon Impersonation Scams: Fake Orders, Calls and Refunds

An Amazon scam call or email usually starts with a problem you didn’t know you had. Amazon is one of the most familiar names in American households, which makes it one of the most useful names for scammers. When the FTC analyzed business impersonator reports from mid-2020 to late 2021, about one in three people who reported a business impersonator said the scammer pretended to be Amazon. Business impersonators of all kinds cost people nearly $1 billion in reported losses in 2025, according to the FTC.

Red Flag Briefing is not affiliated with Amazon. This guide explains how scammers misuse the company’s name.

What do Amazon impersonation scams look like?

They usually start with an unexpected message about a problem you didn’t know you had:

• A suspicious purchase. “Did you order a $1,299 laptop? If not, call us.”
• A hacked or locked account. “Your account has been suspended. Verify your details.”
• A refund. “You’re owed money for a cancelled order.”

The FTC describes two common endings:

• The refund trick. The scammer offers to refund an unauthorized purchase but “accidentally” refunds too much, then asks you to send back the difference. What really happened: they moved your own money from one of your accounts to another, say from savings to checking, to make it look like a refund. Anything you “send back” is your money, and once it leaves your account, it’s theirs.
• The gift card trick. You’re told hackers got into your account, and the only way to protect it is to buy gift cards and share the numbers and PINs.

EXAMPLE — SCAM

Today 10:48 AM●●● ▮

Voicemail transcript (206) 555-0144

This is a message from the Amazon order security department. An order for an iPhone 17 Pro in the amount of $1,249 has been placed on your account and is scheduled for delivery. If you did not authorize this purchase, press 1 or call our fraud line immediately at 206-555-0144 to cancel the order and receive a refund.

The FTC says these scams increasingly target older adults’ savings. A fake “Amazon rep” following up on fraudulent purchases is one of the stories impostors use to convince people their accounts are under attack, before telling them to move money.

How can you check an Amazon order safely?

Go around the message:

1. Don’t call the number in a text, email or voicemail, and don’t press any keys. The FTC says to use the information on Amazon’s website, not a number listed in an unexpected email or text.
2. Don’t click the link. Open the Amazon app or type the website address yourself.
3. Check your orders and account messages there. If there’s no strange order and no warning, the message was a scam.
4. If you’re still unsure, use the help or customer service options inside the app or website.

The same approach works for any company. See six annotated phishing email examples.

Why do scammers ask for gift cards or remote access?

Because both give them your money fast:

• Gift cards. The FTC says that once a scammer has the gift card number and PIN, the money is theirs. If anyone asks you to pay with a gift card, or buy gift cards for anything other than a gift, it’s a scam. See gift card scams.
• Remote access. Letting someone control your computer gives them easy access to your personal and financial information, including your bank accounts. The FTC says never give remote access to someone who contacts you unexpectedly. This is the same trick used in tech support scams.

How do you report an Amazon impostor?

• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• Tell Amazon using the help or reporting options in its official app or website. Don’t use contact details from the scam message.
• Report phishing emails with your email’s “Report phishing” button. See how to report a phishing email.
• If you shared personal information, the FTC says to visit IdentityTheft.gov to see whether your identity was misused and how to recover.

If you sent money, bought gift cards or gave remote access, act quickly with our first-hour checklist after a scam. For more on fake emails and look-alike sites, see phishing emails and fake websites.