Police in Southampton say scammers are posing as Amazon and pressing people to share screens or send money. Here is how the trick works and what to watch for.
Police in Southampton, England, are warning that criminals are pretending to be Amazon. They contact people out of the blue and say something is wrong with their account. The aim is to scare them into handing over control of their device, their documents or their money.
The scammers claim suspicious activity was found on the account. They may say purchases were made that the owner did not approve. Then they ask the person to share their screen, download an app or install remote access software. That kind of software lets someone else see and control a device from far away.
Some go further. Police say they may ask for personal documents such as passports and driving licences. Others pressure people into making payments, supposedly to secure the account. The headline on this story notes victims have lost thousands.
The pitch works because it sounds like a helpful warning. A caller who seems to be protecting you is easy to trust. But a real company will not ask you to share your screen or move money. Once a stranger has access to your device or your ID, the damage can be hard to undo.
Police also warned that caller ID can be spoofed. That means a call can look as if it comes from a company you know when it does not. A familiar name or number on your screen proves nothing.
If you have not had an unexpected call, text or email about your Amazon account, there is nothing to fix. If a message arrives, you do not need to respond to it. Checking your own account the usual way, through the official app or website you already use, will show whether anything is really wrong.
The alert box above lays out the steps. The short version is to hang up, do not share your screen or install anything, and report suspected fraud to Action Fraud. Police say the same caution applies to any unexpected caller asking for personal or financial details.
Expect the story to change even if the trick stays the same. The company named may differ, and the contact may come by call, text or email. The warning signs are constant: surprise contact, urgency, a request for screen access, documents or payment. Anyone who spots those should stop and verify on their own.
If someone claiming to be Amazon contacts you unprompted, hang up and check your account yourself. Never share your screen or send money.
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