SCAM ALERT: FTC Warns Texts Offering Amazon Returns Might Be a Scam

(FTC) — The Federal Trade Commission has issued a statement that scammers are pretending to be Amazon again. This time, they’re sending texts claiming there’s a problem with something you bought. They offer a refund if you click a link, but it’s a scam.

Perhaps you get an unexpected text that looks like it’s from Amazon. It claims the company did a “routine quality inspection,” and an item you recently bought doesn’t meet Amazon’s standards or has been recalled.

The text offers a full refund, stating that you don’t need to return the item, provided you click a link to request your money back. But there is no refund. Instead, it’s a phishing scam to steal your money or personal information.

To avoid a scam like this:

● Don’t click links in unexpected texts, and don’t respond to them. If you think the message could be legit, contact the company using a phone number, email, or website you know is real, not the info from the text.

● Check your Amazon account. If you’re worried, log in through the Amazon website or app, don’t use the link in the text, to see if there’s a problem with or recall on anything you’ve ordered.

● Send unwanted texts to 7726 (SPAM) or use your phone’s “report junk” option. Once you’ve reported it, delete the message.
Learn more about how to get fewer spam texts. And if you spot a scam, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Want to know more about what to do if you have a problem with something you bought? Read Solving Problems With a Business: Returns, Refunds, and Other Resolutions.

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