Don’t Get Scammed This Prime Day: 9 Smart Shopping Tips

Prime Day is one of the biggest shopping events of the year, but it’s also one of the busiest times for online scammers. Phishing emails, fake websites, and fraudulent sellers ramp up their efforts to take advantage of bargain hunters. If you’re planning to snag deals this year, a little preparation goes a long way. Below are nine practical steps to keep your money and personal information safe.

What Happened

Each year, security researchers and consumer protection agencies document a sharp increase in scam activity around Prime Day. Phishing campaigns that impersonate Amazon’s login or checkout pages become widespread. Fraudulent sellers set up shop on third-party marketplaces, offering too-good-to-be-true discounts. Some scammers even create lookalike websites that mimic the real Amazon store, hoping to capture payment details before shoppers notice the difference.

The news source for this guidance is a recent PCMag article that compiled these tips in response to the recurring threat. The article draws on common scam patterns observed in previous sales events.

Why It Matters

Shopping scams can cost you money, but they can also lead to identity theft or unauthorized charges on your accounts. Once a scammer has your credit card number or Amazon password, they may use it elsewhere. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) consistently warns that the weeks surrounding major sales events are peak times for consumer fraud. Awareness and basic security habits are your best defenses.

What Readers Can Do

Here are nine concrete measures you can take before and during your Prime Day shopping.

1. Watch for phishing emails that pretend to be from Amazon. Scammers send urgent messages about account problems, order confirmations, or exclusive deals. Always check the sender’s email address carefully. Official Amazon emails come from addresses ending in @amazon.com (or a legitimate subdomain). If you’re unsure, do not click any links—go directly to Amazon’s website by typing the address yourself.

2. Verify URLs before you click. Fake websites often use addresses that look close to the real one, like amaz0n-prime-deals.com or amazon-checkout.net. Hover over any link before clicking to see the full URL. If it doesn’t match the official Amazon domain (amazon.com), don’t proceed.

3. Avoid third-party sellers with no reviews or very few ratings. Amazon’s marketplace includes many reputable sellers, but scammers can create new accounts quickly. Before you buy, check the seller’s feedback history. If a product has zero reviews and the seller is brand new, consider it a red flag—especially if the price is unusually low.

4. Use a credit card or a payment service with buyer protection. Credit cards typically offer better fraud protection than debit cards. Payment services like PayPal or Amazon Pay can add an extra layer, as they often mediate disputes. Avoid direct bank transfers or gift card payments to unknown sellers; once that money is gone, it’s almost impossible to recover.

5. Enable purchase notifications and alerts. Turn on email or push notifications for every purchase made on your accounts. This way, if a scammer somehow gains access and places an order, you’ll know immediately and can act fast to cancel the transaction.

6. Don’t save payment information on shared or public devices. If you’re shopping on a computer at work, a library, or a friend’s device, avoid checking the “remember my card” box. Clear your browsing data after you finish. Better yet, use a private browsing window for one-time purchases.

7. Be skeptical of discounts that seem too good to be true. Scammers lure shoppers with extreme markdowns—like 80% off a popular electronics item. Compare prices across legitimate sites. If a deal is dramatically lower than what you see elsewhere, it’s likely a scam. Amazon itself rarely offers that kind of discount on high‑demand items.

8. Use a password manager and turn on two‑factor authentication (2FA). A password manager can generate and store strong, unique passwords for your shopping accounts. 2FA adds an extra step—usually a code sent to your phone or generated by an authenticator app—that makes it much harder for someone to log in even if they steal your password.

9. Report suspicious activity to the proper authorities. If you encounter a scam site, phishing email, or fraudulent seller, report it. You can notify Amazon directly (through its “Report a Problem” page), file a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and forward phishing emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at [email protected]. These reports help protect other shoppers.

Sources

  • PCMag, “Stay Safe This Prime Day: 9 Crucial Tips to Avoid Online Shopping Scams” (June 11, 2026).
  • Federal Trade Commission, consumer alerts and fraud reporting resources.