Unsure if this is a spam email from Amazon or not...

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Finch

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#317436 15-Oct-2024 11:37

First of all, apologies if this is in the incorrect forum, wasn't sure which one.

So for the first time in absolute years, I logged into Amazon on the weekend and ordered a few things, expected delivery is 3-4 weeks.

Every once in a while I would get an email from Amazon (Or not) saying I needed to do x, or click y to confirm payment, etc etc. This was strange because I haven't logged into it for years, I'm talking 5+. So of course just ignored it, I knew my CC on the account had expired anyway.

So this morning, I got an email telling me an unauthorized party may have access to my account, I've been logged out and had to re login etc. I thought this was spam. I then went to Amazon Australia (Where I ordered from) and I had in fact been logged out, had to manually sign back in. After getting a good 5 or so OTP (One Time password) sent jumping through all the hoops, and entering the final 3 digits of my card, I had my account back/logged back in.

So I'm wondering if the email I got this morning was in fact true? In my eyes, it looks fake. Why are they bullet pointing going --? I googled the address (account-alert@amazon.com) and the internet was telling me it's spam/phising as seen here on Reddit

I now have a new Amazon PW (I made a new one on the weekend when I logged in for the first time in years too), just found the timing really weird. Also the email says orders have been cancelled, but looking at my account it's still showing the items I ordered as an order.

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#3297580 15-Oct-2024 12:07

Spam usually has a call to action, e.g. "click this link". If you copy the link text in any of the hyperlinks, do they look like legit Amazon URLs?

bagheera

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#3297581 15-Oct-2024 12:14

easy - goto amazon.com (do not use the link in the email - type it into the URL of browser) and try to login - if it fails, you know you need to call amazon to sort, and I would look up the number on their website, and not use the one given

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#3297582 15-Oct-2024 12:17

Do not call the numbers. If you need help contact the chat on the Amazon website. The numbers could just be fake operators.

In any case, as suggested above. Go to Amazon.com and try to login. If it works, great. If not, follow the instructions on the site, not on the email.

richms

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#3297585 15-Oct-2024 12:47

Amazon is a huge target for people to log in and order things to other addresses, which they use to fulfil orders they have sold on other platforms like aliexpress or walmart in the US, so the person gets their stuff but it was ordered with a stolen account.

They are very quick to suspend accounts that suddenly make many orders to a different address as a friend who was travelling in the US found out when all their orders that were supposed to arrive at a friends place were cancelled, and infact the friends address ended up on some sort of list with amazon which took some time to resolve.

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dm2000

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#3297634 15-Oct-2024 12:49

Gmail shows this when I receive an email from Amazon or Amazon AU

Edit: I've checked a few historic emails from Amazon and all have the Amazon logo and blue tick.

Finch

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#3297649 15-Oct-2024 14:11

gehenna:

Spam usually has a call to action, e.g. "click this link". If you copy the link text in any of the hyperlinks, do they look like legit Amazon URLs?

Yeah, there's nothing that really says "Click here to fix the problem". Just Amazon.com at the bottom of the email, along with a link to the "Security and privacy" page.

Again, it's bizarre. Because manually going to Amazon, I have actually been logged out, well I was this morning.

Finch

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#3297650 15-Oct-2024 14:14

bagheera:

easy - goto amazon.com (do not use the link in the email - type it into the URL of browser) and try to login - if it fails, you know you need to call amazon to sort, and I would look up the number on their website, and not use the one given

Quick google search, and while I can't find the exact page for international numbers to call, it looks like the number is 1-888-280-4331 - That number doesn't appear as one of the three in the email.

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Finch

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#3297651 15-Oct-2024 14:16

freitasm:

Do not call the numbers. If you need help contact the chat on the Amazon website. The numbers could just be fake operators.

In any case, as suggested above. Go to Amazon.com and try to login. If it works, great. If not, follow the instructions on the site, not on the email.

Yeah, as mentioned above I did infact go to Amazon website. I was logged out (Perhaps I didn't select "stay logged in" when I placed my order on the weekend). It's like the email is correct in everything it's saying, but to me it's fake. Like I'm living between two worlds lol.

There was also something about "Profiles" which I now have, thought it was a bit sus.

Jase2985

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#3297655 15-Oct-2024 14:31

Finch:

freitasm:

Do not call the numbers. If you need help contact the chat on the Amazon website. The numbers could just be fake operators.

In any case, as suggested above. Go to Amazon.com and try to login. If it works, great. If not, follow the instructions on the site, not on the email.

Yeah, as mentioned above I did infact go to Amazon website. I was logged out (Perhaps I didn't select "stay logged in" when I placed my order on the weekend). It's like the email is correct in everything it's saying, but to me it's fake. Like I'm living between two worlds lol.

There was also something about "Profiles" which I now have, thought it was a bit sus.

could you login to your account? if you could the email seems like its a fake, delete it and move on

Handsomedan

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#3297658 15-Oct-2024 15:02

One of the latest SPAM/Phishing trends in banking is to NOT put any links in, but to have numbers to call if you need help - which is always the "call to action".

You've been given the right advice above - go to Amazon by typing in the address then log in - even if your account is logged out, you should be able to log in pretty easily and if you can't, try a change password link on the actual site. You should have a back-up email address or safe address to send that to, or a phone number registered.

This screams Phishing to me.

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Finch

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#3297814 15-Oct-2024 18:33

Jase2985:

could you login to your account? if you could the email seems like its a fake, delete it and move on

I can login fine now. This morning when I first went to login, it said something (Not exactly word for word, but the general jist) like "We've locked you're account because of suspicious activity". I then had to get a OTP (One Time password) sent to me, I entered that, then I had to give some numbers from my debit card, I did that (This was on the actual Amazon website, literally typed Amazon.com.au in the address bar didn't click anything in any email). Then I had to receive about 2 other OTP to reset my password and log back in.

Like I said, the email seems fake, but the fact it's "true" (My account being suspended(?)) makes me seem like it's not. It's crazy.

Finch

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#3297815 15-Oct-2024 18:37

Also, I read the email (Obviously), It seems to be giving me all the right advice, change password, enable 2FA etc etc.

It also mentions to check the "archived orders", which I have and there's nothing there, nor under unshipped orders etc.

Bung

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#3297821 15-Oct-2024 19:10

If you knew that the credit card on the account had expired how did you order anything to start this sequence?

richms

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#3297834 15-Oct-2024 19:34

And was your amazon password before this a unique one that was used nowhere else? Is the email address on amazon unique to amazon or something used on other sites that have suffered breaches. Have you checked on haveibeenpwned.com for your email address in any breaches?

Richard rich.ms

Finch

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#3297851 15-Oct-2024 20:03

Bung:

If you knew that the credit card on the account had expired how did you order anything to start this sequence?

I just updated the details (Changed the year/month to fit my current one)

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