Amazon is alerting its more than 300 million active customers to a widespread impersonation scam ramping up during the holiday shopping season. According to new reporting from the Asbury Park Press, the scheme employs fake notifications, malicious links, and fraudulent websites to deceive shoppers into divulging sensitive information, such as financial details or Amazon account credentials.
As the outlet explains, Amazon described the fraud in a Nov. 24 email obtained by Forbes, warning that cybercriminals are "targeting Amazon users by reaching out to try and get access to sensitive information like personal or financial information, or Amazon account details." The scam relies heavily on browser notifications pushed through compromised or malicious websites — a tactic that has become increasingly common as shoppers flood the internet in search of Black Friday and holiday deals.
Mashable Light Speed
The scale of the problem is significant. The Asbury Park Press cites data from FortiGuard Labs, showing that more than 700 malicious holiday-themed domains have been registered in the last three months, many using keywords such as "Christmas," "Black Friday," and "Flash Sale" to lure unsuspecting shoppers. These sites are being used to launch a variety of scam attempts, including:
Recommended deals for you
Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00)
Apple iPad 11" 128GB Wi-Fi Retina Tablet (Blue, 2025 Release) — $274.00 (List Price $349.00)
Amazon Fire HD 10 32GB Tablet (2023 Release, Black) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99)
Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones — $248.00 (List Price $399.99)
Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99)
Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) — $24.99 (List Price $49.99)
Shark AV2511AE AI Robot Vacuum With XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00)
Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $339.00 (List Price $399.00)
WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $138.65 (List Price $179.99)
Dell 14 Premium Intel Ultra 7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 2K Laptop — $999.99 (List Price $1549.99)
Products available for purchase through affiliate links. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.
Fake delivery or “account issue” messages
Too-good-to-be-true third-party deals advertised on social media
Requests for payment or account information through unofficial channels
With Black Friday deals in full swing, Amazon says staying vigilant is the best defense.
English
Arabic
French
Spanish
Portuguese
Deutsch
Turkish
Dutch
Italiano
Russian
Portuguese (Brazil)
Greek