Police issue new warning about £1m Amazon Prime scam that has claimed 500 victims so far

Criminals using a callous Amazon Prime scam have swiped £1million from unsuspecting victims so far.

More than 500 complaints have been made to Action Fraud related to annual subscriptions from the online retailer, reports the Daily Record.

Criminals have been posing as Amazon customer representatives (Chris Radburn/PA Wire)

One victim from Scotland is believed to have lost more than £65,000 in the scam which was first employed in October of last year.

The scheme involves victims receiving an automated call informing them they have been charged for an Amazon Prime subscription.

They are then instructed to 'press one' to cancel this transaction but, when they do this, they are directed to a fraudster posing as an Amazon customer service representative.

They convince recipients to give them remote access to computer equipment or pass bank account details over the phone.

Safer Communities Officer PC Marshall said: “Bogus callers are often very convincing. They are skilled in what they do.

"Unfortunately, telephone scams are not unusual and people are often caught out by the plausible nature of the person on the other end of the line.

"This is a well-known scam across the UK and we would like to take this opportunity to remind people to stay vigilant and to think twice if they are ever offered something that is to be too good to be true or when they receive an unexpected call."

Top tips to avoid the scam

• Consider making your phone number ex-directory
• Don’t give out any personal information unless you are the one who made the call and you are certain of the identity of the person you are speaking to
• Don’t give out your credit card or bank card details to strangers on the telephone
• Never tell somebody your bank PIN number, even if they claim to be the bank or police. If the caller is genuine they will never ask for this information
• Don’t give out information which may infer that you live alone, are older or vulnerable
• Never send money to anyone who claims to have a prize for you
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is
• Contact your local trading standards service they may be able to offer advice on approved ‘call blocking’ technology

Anyone who experiences similar calls should follow the tips above and report the matter via 101 or to  the ActionFraud website.