BBB Issues Warning Against Amazon.com Phishing E-mail

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has cautioned consumers that new phishing e-mails have been seen posing as messages from the customer service of Amazon.com - the popular online shopping site. The e-mail, which displays a header "Thank you for your order," contains the bookstore's logo and appears genuine.

There is a serial number for the supposed order in the message along with total price and a web-link for seeing the order. A recipient (who didn't placed an order) may hit on the link for checking why a charge has been made in his name. Similarly, a person who had really placed an order with Amazon may follow the link as the item description and price may be incorrect, BBB observes.

Any user, who follows the web-link, will be led to a phishing or fraudulent website where his private details will be stolen. These details include - payment card number, security code or PIN; tax identification or social security numbers; Amazon.com password; and/or mother's former name, amidst others.

The BBB became aware of the issue when an employee at the agency got the e-mail during the 3rd week of July 2010. Actually, the employee became suspicious because she hadn't shopped on Amazon. So, she rang up the company.

Consequently, a Customer Relations Manager at Amazon told her that 5 such calls had already come to him and the company was probing into the fake, phishing e-mail, as reported by Wynco.bbb during the 3rd week of July 2010.

While investigations were ongoing, Amazon said that it didn't ever solicit personal information during a transaction.

Therefore, it states that anyone getting the e-mail should ignore the web-link. Moreover, Amazon.com urges recipients of such bogus electronic mails to send the messages to stop-spoofing@amazon.com.

Similarly, the BBB suggests that in case an e-mail appears doubtful, the user should directly visit the Amazon website or contact the company over phone.

Sophos, the security company, too warned during the 2nd week of July 2010 that spam mails were being circulated purportedly from Amazon.com.

Related article: BBA Outlines Steps To Ward Off Online Fraud

» SPAMfighter News - 30-07-2010

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