How to Spot Online Shopping Scams This Amazon Prime Day – A BBB Guide
Amazon Prime Day is one of the biggest online shopping events of the year. It’s also a prime opportunity for scammers. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) issued a warning in June 2026, alerting shoppers to a surge in fraudulent websites, phishing emails, and fake deals designed to steal your money or personal information. Here’s what you need to know to shop safely.
What Happened
The BBB warning, reported by WBKO, highlights that scammers ramp up their efforts ahead of major sales like Prime Day. Common tactics include creating fake websites that look nearly identical to Amazon’s, sending emails that appear to be from Amazon customer service, and posting too-good-to-be-true deals on social media. The BBB notes that these scams often rely on urgency — limited-time offers, low stock warnings — to pressure shoppers into acting without thinking.
Why It Matters
Falling for one of these scams can mean more than just losing money on a product that never arrives. Scammers often harvest credit card numbers, addresses, and even passwords. In some cases, they use the information to commit identity theft. Because Prime Day draws millions of shoppers, the volume of scam attempts is higher, and even cautious buyers can get tripped up by a convincing fake site or a well-crafted phishing email.
The BBB specifically warns that Amazon will never ask for sensitive personal information — like your password or full Social Security number — through email or text. Any message that does is a red flag.
What Readers Can Do
Here are practical steps to avoid Prime Day scams.
1. Check the URL carefully. Scammers often use addresses that look like Amazon’s but have a small misspelling or a different domain, such as “amaz0n-deals.com” instead of “amazon.com.” Before entering any payment information, make sure the URL in your browser’s address bar is correct.
2. Don’t click links in unsolicited emails or texts. If you receive a message claiming to be from Amazon about a deal or a problem with your account, don’t click any links. Instead, open a browser and go directly to Amazon.com to check your account or search for the deal.
3. Be skeptical of extremely low prices. A brand-new laptop for $50? A popular game console for $30? Scammers use unrealistically low prices to lure people in. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.
4. Use a credit card for purchases. Credit cards offer better fraud protection than debit cards or payment apps. If a scammer gets your credit card number, you can dispute the charge. With a debit card, the money is taken directly from your bank account, and recovery can be much harder.
5. Avoid shopping on public Wi-Fi. Public networks are less secure and can allow scammers to intercept your data. Use a secure home network or a trusted mobile hotspot when making purchases.
6. Watch for fake customer service calls. After your purchase, you might receive a call from someone claiming to be Amazon support, saying there was an issue with your order and asking for your credit card number to “verify” or “refund” it. Hang up. Amazon does not make unsolicited calls asking for payment details.
What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed
If you realize you’ve given your information to a scammer, act quickly:
- Contact your bank or credit card company to freeze the account and dispute any unauthorized charges.
- Change your Amazon password and any other accounts that share that password.
- Report the scam to the BBB’s Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker) and to the Federal Trade Commission (reportfraud.ftc.gov).
- If you entered personal information like your Social Security number, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit reports.
Shopping during Prime Day can be safe if you stay alert. Take a few extra seconds to verify a website or an email before you click or pay. That small habit can save you a lot of trouble.
Sources
- BBB warning reported by WBKO (June 2026)
- Better Business Bureau – Scam Tracker
- Federal Trade Commission – Consumer Advice