Amazon is working to school customers on potential scams ahead of the holiday shopping season. The online retail giant is especially urging shoppers to be vigilant of impersonation scams, where scammers pretend to be representatives of Amazon and steal personal information or money.
The company confirmed to USA TODAY on Friday, Nov. 28 that Amazon has been sending customers messages about avoiding such scams. When asked about the notices, Amazon clarified the messages are not warnings or alerts as other outlets have reported, but “educational efforts” to protect customers.
The company first started sending out the messaging in early November to U.S. customers, and customers in the United Kingdom this week.
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As temperatures hovered in the mid twenties a crowd of hearty shoppers wrapped around the store at Bass Pro Shops in Louisville, KY, on November 28, 2025.
Here’s what to know about Amazon’s notices – and what to do if you think someone may be trying to scam you.
Amazon users are a top target for scammers
Amazon is estimated to have over 310 million active users worldwide, per AMZScout, which uses Chrome and other apps to conduct product research.
In October 2021, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported that 1 in 3 customers claimed someone contacting them claiming to be Amazon representatives. Some people reported that the scammers begged them for help and said Amazon would fire them if they didn’t help them.
Among businesses scammers reportedly impersonated, Amazon was at the top at 35%, followed by Apple at 6%.
“About 96,000 people reported being targeted, and nearly 6,000 said they lost money,” the FTC wrote in the report. “Reported losses totaled more than $27 million. The reported median individual loss: $1,000.”
USA TODAY has contacted the FTC for more recent numbers.
Christy Vargas of Amazon’s public relations team said on Nov. 28 that scammers put Amazon consumers at risk.
“We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance,” Vargas wrote in an email. “We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”
What is an impersonation scam?
Impersonation scams, the subject of Amazon’s educational notices to customers, occur when scammers pretend to be trustworthy organizations or people with the goal of stealing money or personal information.
Illustration picture shows the Amazon logo on the building of Amazon Logistics, in Antwerp, on Thursday Oct. 30, 2025.
Scammers typically carry out these impersonation scams by calling, emailing, texting, and messaging victims on social media, Amazon said on its website.
The goal is to get unsuspecting customers to make a payment, share personal information, or give the scammers access to their computers. The scammers pose as organizations or businesses customers have previously interacted with.
How do I spot an impersonation scam?
According to Amazon, some characteristics of impersonation scams include:
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False urgency – Scammers try to create a sense of urgency to get customers to do what they want.
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Asking for personal information – Scammers may try to get information such as addresses, payment information, account login credentials, or financial information.
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Purchases outside of Amazon – Scammers often ask victims to send them money outside of the Amazon website or mobile app through a third-party site or wire transfer.
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Payment via gift cards – Scammers may ask victims to buy gift cards and pay with those, or ask for gift card numbers, claim codes, or PINs.
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Unexpected orders – Victims may get notifications of orders or deliveries they did not expect. If customers receive notice of orders they didn’t place, they should go to the official Amazon website or app and check their order history.
I received a suspicious message or call. How do I report it?
Amazon has specific links for those who have received suspicious communication. Scenarios and links include:
Those without Amazon accounts can still report suspicious messages by emailing an attachment of the messages to reportascam@amazon.com. Amazon said the company won’t respond personally but those who file reports may get automated messages back.
Other options to report potential scams include reporting to the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Amazon said customers can find more information on how to identify scams at www.tinyurl.com/AmazonIDScams and report scams at www.tinyurl.com/AmazonScamReport.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amazon alerts shoppers to be mindful of scams. Here’s what to know.
