AI-powered scams target Prime Day 2025 shoppers as online fraud surges

Scammers use AI to create fake Amazon sites and impersonation texts during Prime Day, with 96 per cent of Indians shopping online and concern growing over fraud

Cybercriminals are deploying artificial intelligence to create increasingly sophisticated scams targeting Prime Day shoppers, with security firm McAfee identifying over 36,000 fraudulent Amazon websites and 75,000 impersonation text messages designed to steal personal and financial information.

 

The scale of deception coincides with heightened shopping activity in India, where 96 per cent of consumers plan to shop online during Prime Day 2025, according to McAfee's 2025 Global Prime Day Scams Study. Despite 97 per cent of Indian shoppers planning to take safety precautions, 71 per cent express greater concern about AI-generated scams during major retail events.

 

The technology is enabling scammers to create more convincing fraudulent schemes, including deepfake videos of influencers appearing to endorse products and fake Amazon notification texts that mimic legitimate delivery, refund, and billing alerts. These messages are designed with urgent language to pressure recipients into clicking malicious links before verifying their authenticity.

 

“Prime Day is a time of excitement for Indian shoppers, but it has also become a prime target for scammers using AI to create hyper-personalised, convincing attacks that push people to click before they think,” said Pratim Mukherjee, senior director of engineering, McAfee.

 

Hot spot

 

India’s vibrant online shopping landscape is both a lucrative market for retailers and a hunting ground for scammers. Thirty-nine per cent of people say they or someone they know has seen or received a deepfake scam (involving deepfake content or a fake celebrity endorsement) during a major sale event like Prime Day. Alarmingly, among those affected, some reported losing more than Rs 40,000 to such scams.

 

Additionally, 81 per cent of consumers report receiving suspicious messages, including “limited-time deal” scams (48 per cent), bogus delivery updates (31 per cent), and fake discount codes or flash sale offers (28 per cent). Thirty-three per cent of consumers say the fear of scams has stopped them from completing purchases, highlighting the urgent need for smarter protection tools during major sale events like Prime Day. 

 

Scammed

 

Ninety-six per cent of Indians say they shop online, especially for clothes and electronics.

 

While older adults (65+) tend to be more cautious, younger shoppers are far more likely to take risks on unfamiliar brands — especially on social media. Thirty-two per cent of 18–34-year-olds say they frequently see ads from unfamiliar retailers and are willing to buy from them if the deal looks good. Younger shoppers (18–24 and 25–34) report the highest scam exposure, with 17 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively, saying they have been scammed during Prime Day or other major sale events. Scam rates decline with age, bottoming out at just 5 per cent among adults 65+, who are more cautious and reluctant to buy online.

 

One in five people (20 per cent) who fell victim to an online scam during Prime Day or another major retail event did not tell anyone, largely due to feelings of embarrassment and psychological distress. This highlights that the risks of online scams extend beyond financial loss, impacting shoppers’ confidence and emotional well-being.

 

Ninety-three per cent of shoppers report encountering ads from unfamiliar retailers on social media during big sale events, emphasising the growing need for caution and proactive protection. Twenty-seven per cent of shoppers say they plan to shop less during Prime Day 2025 due to fears of scams, as well as the 21 per cent who are worried about the safety of their financial and personal data.

 

But consumers are not powerless: nearly half (49 per cent) say they would consider using scam detection tools.