Look out for purchase confirmation scams

WATCH YOUR STEP

by Laurie Bullock

laurieb@lwsb.com

A resident avoided a scam regarding an Amazon order by remaining calm, calling a family member and double-checking a claim with a trusted source.

The resident said that she received three emails one morning, two from a man named Javier K and one from Amazon within minutes of one another, thanking her for her order which totaled $6,120. She noticed a number in the email to call the Fraud Protection Team, but instead called her son, who suggested she call her credit card company to check to see if the amount had been processed. The credit card company did not find a charge of that amount on either of her cards and advised her not to click on any link or reply to the email she had received.

If you receive a similar email that suggests you have made a large purchase on your credit card, here are some things you should look for to make sure you don’t fall victim to a scam: 1. Look for poor grammar, spelling mistakes or incorrect information.

If any part of the email is sloppy or incorrect, it is highly unlikely to be from a large, professional company such as Amazon.

2. Confirmation email lacks specific information. If the email doesn’t list the purchased items or doesn’t have the exact information about the shipping address, it is another sign that the email is a scam.

3. The sender is asking you to act fast or give up valuable information.

If the sender asks you to call a number to cancel or refute an order, it could be a scam. Amazon does provide the opportunity to cancel a purchase, but it is always going to be linked directly to your account. If you’re suspicious, avoid clicking or the calling the customer service information listed in the email and call your bank or credit card holder to see if any purchase has been made on your card, then cancel through the trusted company.