Scam-free September: Amazon India's tips for safe festive online shopping

Of all the scams impersonating Amazon reported by our customers globally in 2023, two-thirds involved fake "order" or "account" issues.

With festivals around the corner, online shopping is set to surge — bringing blockbuster deals, endless choices, and unfortunately, an uptick in fraud. To help customers shop safely, Amazon India has rolled out a “Scam-Free September” campaign in partnership with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs.

 

The initiative comes as criminals increasingly target festive shoppers with fake offers, phishing links, and scam calls. Messages with phrases like “special festive deal,” “urgent account verification,” or “confirm a strange purchase” are often red flags, designed to make people act without thinking.

 

The Scammer’s Playbook

 

Fake account alerts: Claiming your account is “suspended” or “compromised.”

 

 

Bogus order messages: Asking you to “verify” or “confirm” a purchase you never made.

 

False urgency: Pushing you to act immediately with threats of cancellation or penalties.

 

Payment tricks: Demanding gift cards, bank transfers, or software installations.

 

Globally, two-thirds of scams impersonating Amazon in 2023 involved fake “order” or “account” issues. Most of these begin outside Amazon — on email, text messages, or phone calls — where scammers exploit brand trust. 

 Impersonation scams start outside of Amazon’s marketplace – via email, text, messaging apps, or phone calls. Criminals impersonate a popular brand or a service provider to create a false sense of urgency to trick shoppers into sharing sensitive information or making bogus payments.

 

Scammers may claim your account is “suspended,” an “order” needs verification, or you must confirm a “payment” immediately.

The goal: push you into clicking harmful links, sharing credentials, or making payments outside Amazon.

 

“Festivals should fill your home with joy, not anxiety,” said Ashwini Samraj, Director, Public Relations & Communications, Amazon India. “If anything you receive makes your heart race like ‘act now;’ ‘pay a fee;’ ‘confirm a strange purchase’ — treat that as a red flag. Always log in to the Amazon app or website to check what’s real.”

 

Amazon has invested heavily in fraud prevention: adopting secure email tech so genuine emails display the Amazon smile logo, building ML-driven fraud detection systems, and initiating takedowns of tens of thousands of phishing sites and thousands of scam phone numbers in 2024 alone.

 

How to Stay Safe – Smart Shopping Moves

 

Pause and verify: Take 10 seconds before clicking any link or responding.

 

Check “Your Orders”: If it’s not in the Amazon app or website, it’s not real.

 

Trust official channels: Payments always happen only inside Amazon’s app or site.

 

Ignore false urgency: Pressure tactics = scam.

 

Never pay with gift cards for support or “fees.”

 

Report it: Forward phishing emails to stop-spoofing@amazon.com

 or suspicious texts to reportascam@amazon.com

. Non-customers can also use these addresses.

 

The Safety Net

 

Every purchase on Amazon.in is covered by the A-to-Z Guarantee, which protects buyers if orders don’t arrive on time or aren’t as promised. The safest strategy remains simple: start and finish your shopping journey only on the Amazon app or website.

 

As festive sales heat up, the message is clear: stay excited, but stay alert. A moment’s pause can protect your money, your data, and your celebrations.