With the holiday season here and online shopping increasing, here are some great tips from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Amazon!
• Stay calm. If you receive a suspicious phone call, resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is or how threatening or intimidating the caller sounds.
• Don't reply directly. Instead, visit the company's website or app to use their customer service channel and verify the message or phone call you received.
• Go to the source or get help. When in doubt, call a friend, loved one, or your local BBB to ask for a second opinion. Regardless of what is said in the phone conversation, tell someone.
• Never feel pressured to give personal information (SSN, account numbers/passwords, license number, etc.) over the phone, especially if the call is unexpected. Scammers may try to use calls, texts, and emails to impersonate a company's customer service. If you are unsure, end the call/chat and reach out directly to the company's customer service phone number or website.
• Never pay over the phone, especially if the call was unsolicited. If you need to make a payment, go directly to the organization's website or app.
• Never allow remote access to your computer if somebody offers tech support. Shut down your computer immediately and seek support directly from your service provider.
• Search BBB Scam Tracker. (https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker) If you're suspicious about the situation, search BBB Scam Tracker to see if anyone else has reported a similar situation. The NEW BBB Scam Tracker enables you to search by email, URL, phone number, and more. You can also report suspicious communications that mention Amazon directly to the company.
• Check that email address or URL more closely. Scammers use similar website addresses or emails to appear legitimate, but if you look closely, you may find one letter or number that is off.