Amazon Gift Card Scam!
Have you received an email that goes something like this?
I've been trying to purchase a $200 Amazon E-Gift card off Amazon since yesterday, it keeps saying some issues occurred while charging my cards. I contacted my bank and they told me it would take some couple of days to get it sorted. I intend to buy it for a friend of mine who's having her birthday today. Can you purchase it from your end for me?
I'll reimburse you once my bank sort out the issue. I'm just trying to put a smile on her face this trying times. Let me know if you can assist me with this, so i can send you her email address.
What To Do If You Get This Email?
First and foremost, try to confirm with the email sender! There's a very high chance their email account was hacked. Don't be scammed!
According to the Federal Trade Commission, gift card scams are often used by scammers because it's easier to buy from any store that offers gift cards. It also has lesser protection for those who've already purchased the gift card.
Amazon warns its buyers about Gift Card scams. Amazon states scammers usually target their victims through phone, email, social media, or online. They will try convincing their victims with a sense of urgency.
Another thing scammers do is ask for your gift card number and PIN. Once you give the scammer your card number and PIN, the scammer will then get all your money from the card.
Is Your Email Account Hacked?
First, find out how you've been hacked! Here are some possibilities:
- Security software is not updated.
- Weak password is easy to guess
- You clicked a spam link in an email or online message services (DM's from Instagram and other platforms like Snapchat and Messenger).
- You downloaded software that contain a virus.
What To Do If Your Email is Hacked
- Update your computer's anti-virus software.
- Change your password and make it stronger. You can include special characters in your password to make it hard to guess.
- Consider two-step verification for your account.
- Immediately inform your contacts that your email account has been hacked to stop the scammer from scamming your contacts too.
- Do not open emails from unknown senders.
- Check your account for unknown connected apps and games and delete them.
Did you know that scammers used COVID to scam people too? Here are more tips about Phishing Scam Emails! Visit KC News for more tech tips and KC Virus and Hoax Alert to stay alert on the latest online scams and PC security threats.
