A new WhatsApp scam message is spreading like wildfire that claims to give free gifts to all Amazon users as part of the e-commerce giant’s 30th anniversary. If you haven’t received this message yet, here is all you need to know about this scam.
Users on the social messaging applications are spreading a fake message that has made thousands of people vulnerable to identity thefts. Yet again the largest E-commerce company Amazon is being dragged into a vicious cause. In past also, similar scams were associated with Amazon because of its goodwill.
Considering the name of well-known companies, users believe such scams very easily. The recent scam associated with Amazon was the “Amazon 26th Anniversary Scam” which is quite similar to this ongoing fake event.
Let’s dig out more about the Amazon’s 30th Anniversary Scam. Stay Tuned!
What Is Amazon 30th Anniversary Scam?
WhatsApp users are sharing a suspicious message that claims to give free gifts to all Amazon users. The message reads, “Amazon 30th anniversary celebrations — Free gifts for everyone from www.amazon.com”.
Along with the message, comes a link also. Upon clicking on the link it says: “Congratulations, you have been chosen to participate in our survey. It will take only a minute, and you will receive a fantastic prize: a Huawei Mate 40 Pro 5G Full Netcom 8GB + 256GB (bright black)”.
To claim the gift, users have to participate in a fake survey that experts think to be a trick for identity theft. The survey form asks the users to provide information related to their gender, age, quality of Amazon service, and the Smartphone platform that the individual is using.
After completing the survey, users have to open a box to get a free gift. To your surprise, every individual who participates in the survey wins the gift. But even after winning the prize, users cannot claim any gift, instead, the website asks them to forward the message to five WhatsApp groups or to 20 contacts.
Experts have claimed that the survey is a tactic through which cybercriminals are looking for your personal details. They can use your information to defraud you or for identity theft. Experts have suggested that users should avoid clicking on links with the Forwarded sign to be safe from such scams.
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How To Report Amazon 30th Anniversary Scam
Controlling such messages has become impossible as they have spread like wildfires already. We can only take precautionary measures for our safety. Follow the below tips to identify and avoid scam messages.
- Check the URL carefully before clicking on any link.
- Hover over the URL to check the name of the brand. Most of the scam links contain unwanted characters and misspelled company names.
- Always remember that well-known companies will never offer you free gifts against service-related surveys.
- Companies do not spread messages related to their surveys on social media, instead, they will send emails to all of their customers individually.
- Avoid clicking on the links that come with forwarded messages on WhatsApp. These links may also contain malware that gets downloaded upon clicking on them.
- Before clicking on the link, make sure that it contains HTTPS instead of HTTP.
- Visit the official pages of companies instead of relying on the information provided in the fake messages.
- Most importantly, do not forward such messages.
- Inform concerned companies about the fraudulent messages.
Bottom Line
This was all about the viral Amazon 30th Anniversary Scam that has tricked thousands of people on internet. If you have provided your important credentials to any of such websites, change your account passwords and consult your financial institutions.