Online shopping Goliath Amazon has issued a message of warning as crooks pose as the website in order to steal personal information.
Christmas usually sees high amounts of online traffic for Amazon, as shoppers head to the world wide web to bag last minute stocking fillers and gifts for loved ones - but it also attracts an influx of cyber criminals attempting to wreak havoc on unsuspecting punters.
And due to its massive popularity, Amazon ranks as one of the top targets for scammers.
Read more: Four con artists jailed after they scammed North East pensioners out of £200,000
The Mirror reports that the website has in-turn issued an urgent message of vigilance to UK shoppers in particular, as the nation enters its busiest period for online purchasing. Hackers have been known to pose as Amazon through fake emails and text messages, in a bid to access people's sensitive data - like usernames, passwords and bank details.
Amazon say that the most common trick that crooks use sees people receive fake messages informing them of a product ordered, which needs confirmation before shipping. Scammers then attempt to dupe customers into passing over bank details, with some occurrences seeing hackers install software on devices to complete orders.
In-turn, shoppers are being advised to fully verify their orders by logging into their Amazon accounts in the event that they see any unexpected messages. Only legitimate purchases will appear in your order history, according to the firm.
If any further clarity is required, customer service is on hand to assist in queries 24/7. Hackers have also been constructing imitation sites, posing as technical support agents for services.
Customers are therefore only being urged to access services through official channels like the iPhone/Android app, or the official Amazon website online. Failing to do so could result in personal data being stolen through phishing websites.
If you receive a message warning that you need to 'act fast' then it's usually a sign that you've been contacted by a scammer.
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