Amazon's Prime Day sale is officially here, but shoppers looking for great deals need to be careful that they don't get scammed in the process.
Amazon is warning consumers to be on the lookout for cybercriminals attempting to use the massive online event, which runs Tuesday through Friday, as an opportunity to con them out of their money and personal information.
According to Amazon, reports of email impersonation scams, where cybercriminals tried to pass themselves off as Amazon or another related company, jumped 50% during Prime Day in 2024, compared with the weeks before the sale.
Meanwhile, researchers for the cybersecurity company Check Point say that during the month of June, they spotted more than 1,000 new websites with domain names similar to Amazon. About 87% of those were flagged as malicious or suspicious, meaning they could be trying to impersonate Amazon in attempts to steal shopper account credentials or payment information.
While cybercriminals have long tried to take advantage of Prime Day shoppers, the big spike in potentially scammy websites ahead of this year's event marks a shift in their game plan, says Dave Meister, cybersecurity evangelist for Check Point.
"That's been really interesting to see," Meister said. "The malicious actors aren't just being opportunistic here, they're preparing for what they know is coming."
Watch this: How to Hack Amazon Prime Day: Shopping and Deals Advice 04:03
AI gives old scams new power
The carrots cybercriminals use in their scam emails, texts, and social media posts have remained largely the same in recent years.
According to Amazon, they often tell a target that there was a problem with their account or an order, or ask for alternate payment information, falsely claiming that their payment didn't go through. Regardless of their specific pitch, the objective of the scams is to steal payment card information or Amazon account usernames and passwords.
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