RENO — The Better Business Bureau is partnering with Amazon to drive an educational campaign aimed at helping consumers spot impersonation scams during the upcoming holiday season.
Impersonation scams occur when a scammer pretends to be a trustworthy organization or individual, to steal another person’s money or private information.
Based on research published by the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, this co-branded campaign will run through the holidays with hopes of lessening the season’s typical increase in scams.
“Of survey respondents who were targeted by an impersonation scam, half said the scammer pretended to be a trustworthy business,” notes Melissa Lanning Trumpower, executive director of the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, the BBB’s foundation. “Partnering with Amazon will help us reach more consumers with important information on how to spot and avoid losing money to these scams.”
“Amazon is committed to protecting consumers from impersonation scams and helping them protect themselves,” said Kathy Sheehan, Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Amazon. “We’re grateful to partner with consumer advocates like the Better Business Bureau to educate consumers.”
Data for the campaign and the BBB Institute research report were provided through BBB Scam Tracker, an online reporting and prevention tool that enables consumers to report and search for scams in their area.
A new-and-improved version of BBB Scam Tracker will be launched in November, in partnership with Amazon and Capital One.
BBB and Amazon recommend the following tips for shopping online:
• Stay calm. If you receive a suspicious phone call, text, or email, resist the urge to act immediately—no matter how dramatic, threatening, or intimidating the situation seems.
• Don’t reply directly. Instead, visit the company’s website or app to use their official customer service channel and verify the message you received.
• Go to the source or get help. Call a friend, loved one, or your local BBB to ask for a second opinion when in doubt. Regardless of what is said, tell someone.
• Do not give out personal information, especially if the message was unexpected. Scammers use calls, texts, and emails to impersonate a company’s customer service. They may ask for your Social Security number, account number, passwords, and more. If you are unsure, end the conversation and reach out to the company’s customer service.
• Never pay over the phone. If you need to make a payment, go to the company’s website or app.
• Never allow remote access to your computer. If someone offers tech support, shut down your computer immediately and seek support from your service provider.
• Search BBB Scam Tracker. If you’re suspicious about a situation, search BBB Scam Tracker to see if anyone else has reported a similar situation.
The new version enables you to search by email, URL, phone number, and more. You can also report suspicious communications that mention Amazon here.
• Double-check the email address or URL. Scammers use similar website URLs and email addresses to appear legitimate, so a closer look may reveal a letter or number that doesn’t match the company’s official links.