Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Neil Pooran

Warning over Amazon Prime phone scam which has cost customers £400,000

Police in Scotland are warning Amazon customers to be aware of a phone scam which could see fraudsters taking over their computer.

It has left people around the UK more than £400,000 out of pocket in the last few months.

The con involves an automated call saying the recipient has been charged for an Amazon Prime subscription, or is due a refund.

The victim is invited to press 1 on their phone to be connected to customer service, in reality they are connected to the fraudster.

Saying there has been a security breach, the con artists claim they need remote access to the victim’s computer in order to fix a security flaw that will prevent it from happening again.

They ask the victims to download software called Team Viewer to fix the problem, but this allows them to access the customers' bank account.

Action Fraud have reported that around 200 people had fallen victim to the scam. Police in the Scottish Borders reminded people to be aware on Monday.

Police Scotland say: "Always question uninvited approaches in case it’s a scam. Instead, contact the company directly using a known email or phone number.

"Have the confidence to refuse unusual requests for personal or financial information.

"It’s easy to feel embarrassed when faced with unexpected or complex conversations but it’s okay to stop the discussion if you do not feel in control of it.

"Never install any software or visit a website as a result of a cold call. Unsolicited requests for remote access to your computer should always raise a red flag."

Want to be first to know what's going on in Edinburgh? Join our Facebook group  All About Edinburgh  to stay in the loop and share your stories.

To receive one WhatsApp message a day with Edinburgh Live's headlines, as well as breaking news alerts, text NEWS to 07899067815. Then add the number to your contacts as 'Edinburgh Live'.

For more stories from across the Edinburgh area like our  Facebook page , or follow us on  Twitter  and  Instagram . You can also subscribe to our newsletter: enter your email in the blue box at the top of this article.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.