BBB Warns: Watch for These Online Shopping Scams Before Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day is one of the biggest shopping events of the year, and scammers know it. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has issued a warning that fraudsters are ramping up their efforts to trick shoppers with fake deals, phishing emails, and lookalike websites. For anyone planning to snag a deal, knowing what to watch for can mean the difference between a bargain and a headache.

What Happened

The BBB’s alert, published ahead of Prime Day, highlights a recurring pattern: during major sales events, reports of online shopping scams spike. Scam Tracker data from the BBB shows that consumers often lose money to fraudulent sellers, phony order confirmations, and social media ads that promise steep discounts but deliver nothing.

Some of the most common tactics include:

  • Phishing emails pretending to be from Amazon. These messages often include a fake “order confirmation” with a link that leads to a malicious site or downloads malware. The subject line might say something like “Your Prime Day order has shipped” even if you never placed an order.
  • Fake websites that closely mimic Amazon’s login page. They are designed to steal your credentials and payment information.
  • Social media ads and posts offering too-good-to-be-true deals. Scammers set up bogus storefronts that disappear after collecting payments.
  • Unofficial third-party sellers offering steep discounts on popular items, often requesting payment via wire transfer, gift cards, or peer-to-peer apps—methods that offer almost no buyer protection.

Why It Matters

The urgency and excitement of a limited-time sale can override our usual caution. Scammers rely on that pressure. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers reported losing more than $1.7 billion to online shopping scams in 2024 alone. During Prime Day, the volume of legitimate emails and offers makes it easier for fraudulent messages to blend in.

A single click on a malicious link can expose your Amazon password, credit card details, or even your entire home address. Recovering from identity theft or unauthorized charges takes time, paperwork, and often money.

What Readers Can Do

Here are practical steps to stay safe while shopping this Prime Day.

Before you click or buy:

  • Shop on the official Amazon app or directly through Amazon.com. Type the address yourself instead of following links from emails or social media.
  • Check the sender’s email address carefully. Amazon messages always come from addresses ending in @amazon.com. Look for slight misspellings like @amaz0n.com or @amazon-support.co.
  • Hover over links before clicking. On a computer, hover your mouse over any link to see the true URL. If it doesn’t match Amazon’s official domain, don’t click.
  • Verify the seller. On Amazon, check the seller’s name, ratings, and how long they’ve been selling. New sellers with few reviews and very low prices are risky.
  • Be skeptical of deals that seem impossibly cheap. If a $1,000 laptop is listed for $150, it’s almost certainly a scam.

Safe payment practices:

  • Use a credit card. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards, and you can dispute charges more easily.
  • Avoid unusual payment methods. Never pay with wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency for goods sold on a marketplace. Legitimate sellers accept standard credit or debit cards.
  • Enable purchase notifications on your credit card or bank account so you can spot unauthorized charges quickly.
  • Don’t shop over public Wi-Fi. Use your mobile data or a trusted home network. Public networks can be intercepted by hackers.

If you think you’ve been scammed:

  1. Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the charge and request a reversal if possible.
  2. Change your Amazon password and enable two-factor authentication.
  3. File a report with the BBB Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker. This helps warn others.
  4. Report the scam to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
  5. If you shared personal information, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file with one of the three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).

Stay Vigilant, Shop Smart

Prime Day is meant to be a chance to save money—not lose it. By slowing down, double-checking offers, and sticking to trusted payment methods, you can avoid the traps that scammers set. The BBB’s warning is a timely reminder that when something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

Sources: Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker alert on Prime Day scams; Federal Trade Commission (FTC) 2024 fraud report; BBB guidelines on online shopping safety.