Police are warning about an Amazon Prime scam which has cost victims more than £1 million in three months

By Group Reporter
Published 13th Feb 2020, 10:49 BST
Updated 13th Feb 2020, 10:50 BST

by Jamie McKenzie

Police have issued a warning to the public about an Amazon Prime scam which has cost victims more than £1 million in three months.

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) identified 571 reports of Amazon Prime-related computer software service fraud, between 1 October last year and 16 January 2020.

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‼️ AMAZON SCAM ‼️ Always question uninvited approaches. Contact the company directly using a known email or phone number. Have the confidence to refuse unusual requests for personal or financial information. Never install software or visit a website as a result of a cold call. https://t.co/ai9bkXcVd6

— Edinburgh Police (@EdinburghPolice) February 12, 2020

One victim, a man from Glasgow in his 60s, lost more than £65,000.

How the scam works

The scam involves victims receiving an automated call informing them they have been charged for an Amazon Prime subscription. They are then instructed to 'press one' to cancel this transaction. However, when they do this, they are directed to a fraudster posing as an Amazon customer service representative.

The scammer advises the victim that their subscription was purchased fraudul