Criminals impersonating Amazon stole £86,837 from British shoppers in just nine days. Between 5 and 14 October 2026, victims were targeted in a series of calls that tricked them into authorizing payments or handing over control of their personal devices, according to Report Fraud.
How Scammers Impersonate Amazon
The fraud typically begins with an unsolicited phone call from an individual claiming to be an Amazon representative. These callers alert the target to alleged suspicious activity on their account, such as unauthorized items in a basket or an order sent to an unfamiliar address.
Fraudsters often provide fake delivery addresses to gain trust. They claim that someone is buying goods using the victim’s bank details and offer a resolution process
to secure the account. This process involves the following tactics identified by Report Fraud:
- Remote Access: Victims are persuaded to install software that allows criminals to take full control of their computers or mobile devices to carry out transactions.
- Screen Sharing: Scammers ask targets to share their screens via messaging platforms to facilitate the supposed security fix.
- Document Theft: Individuals are pressured to provide sensitive personal identification, such as passports or driving licences, under the guise of identity verification.
- Financial Exploitation: Victims are instructed to download money-transfer apps or are tricked into authorizing payments for fraudulent gift card purchases.
The scammers use stolen personal information to facilitate further fraud, including unauthorized money transfers. In some instances, victims are told that gift cards have been added to their accounts without permission. They are then manipulated into authorizing payments that are redirected to accounts under the control of the criminals.
Older Adults Face Highest Risk from Urgent Account Scams
Analysis of 110 reports filed during the nine-day window indicates that those aged between 50 and 79 are most at risk, accounting for 60 per cent of the incidents. The stolen funds represent a daily average loss of over £9,600. The City of London Police issued a formal warning regarding this trend on 30 October 2026.
Chief Superintendent Amanda Wolf, Head of Report Fraud Operations, noted that the success of these scams relies on creating an artificial sense of urgency. She explained that a call regarding an account issue can easily catch people off guard, particularly when the caller mimics a brand that consumers know and trust.
🚨 Report Fraud alert: Over £86,000 stolen by fraudsters posing as Amazon in just nine days. ⚠️ Criminals are impersonating Amazon and contacting customers out of the blue claiming suspicious activity has occurred on their account. 🔗 Read more here: https://t.co/qEjoFiuPlc… pic.twitter.com/zVqk6RQCd5
The best defence is to pause. Criminals want people to react quickly; we want people to take a moment, challenge what they’re being told and verify it through a trusted route.
Chief Superintendent Amanda Wolf, Head of Report Fraud Operations
Steps to Secure Accounts
Residents are advised that caller ID information displayed on a phone is not evidence of identity. Scammers can manipulate systems to make calls appear as though they are coming from legitimate organizations.
If a caller creates pressure to act immediately, the recommended course of action is to end the call and verify the situation independently. If the contact is legitimate, the caller will allow the customer to call back using a trusted, published phone number.
End the conversation, find the genuine contact details yourself and make contact independently.
Chief Superintendent Amanda Wolf, Head of Report Fraud Operations
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed that the company is working to mitigate these threats. Scammers putting consumers at risk often use email, phone, or text messages to request payments for items or services.
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 them safe.
Amazon Spokesperson
Amazon provides a Trustworthy Shopping Experience
blog and six specific tips to help customers spot and avoid impersonation attempts. The company maintains help pages specifically for identifying scams, including information on common gift card fraud.
Consumers who suspect they have been targeted should not rely on Caller ID displays as proof of identity. Suspicious calls can be reported by texting the word “Call” followed by the scammer’s number to 7726. If residing in Scotland, individuals should contact Police Scotland on 101. It remains unknown how many other victims have been targeted outside of these 110 reports.
