Don’t Get Caught by Prime Day Scams: 9 Tips for Safe Shopping

Every year, major sales events like Amazon Prime Day bring a flood of deals — and a flood of scams. Cybercriminals know that shoppers are in a hurry, distracted by discounts, and more likely to let their guard down. According to the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau, reports of online shopping fraud spike during these periods. Fake websites, phishing emails, and counterfeit goods become more common.

This year is no different. As soon as the sale kicks off, you can expect to see convincing fake storefronts, urgent messages about “limited-time offers,” and social media ads that lead nowhere good. But you don’t have to avoid shopping altogether. With a few straightforward precautions, you can cut the risk significantly.

Below are nine practical tips — informed by recent consumer safety guidance from outlets like PCMag as well as law enforcement agencies — that will help you spot scams before they cost you.

What Happened

The PCMag article “Stay Safe This Prime Day: 9 Crucial Tips to Avoid Online Shopping Scams” (published June 11, 2026) highlights the predictable but persistent spike in fraudulent activity tied to Amazon’s annual shopping event. Like many consumer protection publications, it stresses that the patterns repeat every year: phishing emails disguised as order confirmations, lookalike websites that copy Amazon’s login page, and too-good-to-be-true prices on electronics and luxury goods.

While PCMag’s article provides a solid set of tips, the underlying problem is well documented. The FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network reported a sharp increase in online shopping fraud during the 2024 and 2025 holiday seasons, and Prime Day follows the same trend.

Why It Matters

A single slip during checkout can cost more than just the money you lose to a fake seller. Scammers often harvest credit card numbers, addresses, and even passwords. If you reuse passwords across sites — as many people still do — a compromised shopping account can lead to identity theft or account takeovers on banking or email services.

The stakes are higher than ever because payment methods like “buy now, pay later” are increasingly common. These services can complicate chargeback processes. And return fraud — where scammers sell counterfeit goods and then disappear — leaves you with no recourse unless you act fast.

What Readers Can Do

You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to shop safely. These nine steps are straightforward and take only a few extra minutes.

  1. Stick to official retailer apps or known URLs. Type the address yourself rather than clicking an ad or a link in an email. Bookmark the official site before the sale begins.

  2. Scrutinize every email and text message. Scammers send fake “order confirmation” or “account issue” messages that look almost identical to Amazon’s real ones. Never click a link to log in. Go directly to your account on the official site.

  3. Pay with a credit card or a trusted service like PayPal. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards. Avoid wire transfers, gift cards, or peer-to-peer payment apps for purchases from unknown sellers.

  4. Check for HTTPS and the padlock icon. The URL should start with “https://” and show a closed padlock in the address bar. This is not foolproof — scammers can get SSL certificates too — but it’s a basic hygiene check.

  5. Research unfamiliar sellers. On third-party marketplaces, look at seller ratings, how long they’ve been active, and whether they offer clear return policies. If a seller has zero reviews but thousands of items listed, that’s a red flag.

  6. Be skeptical of deals that seem too good. A 90% discount on the latest laptop from an unknown store almost certainly means a counterfeit or a nonexistent product. Cross-check prices on the official brand site or at reputable retailers.

  7. Keep records of everything you buy. Save confirmation emails, screenshots of product pages, and tracking numbers. If a package never arrives or shows up as a brick, you’ll need that documentation for a dispute.

  8. Enable two-factor authentication on your shopping account. This prevents scammers from accessing your saved payment methods even if your password is compromised. Even SMS-based two-factor is better than nothing, though an authenticator app is more secure.

  9. Know how to report and recover. If you fall victim, contact your credit card issuer immediately to initiate a chargeback. Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to Amazon’s fraud department if the scam occurred on their platform. The faster you act, the better your chances of getting your money back.

Sources

  • PCMag, “Stay Safe This Prime Day: 9 Crucial Tips to Avoid Online Shopping Scams,” June 11, 2026.
  • Federal Trade Commission, “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book,” 2025.
  • Better Business Bureau, “2025 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report.”