Hamilton Police See Increase in Text Message and Email Related Scams
Hamilton Police continue to see an increase in reports relating to text message and email related scams.
The Financial Crimes Unit would like to inform the public about a scam involving unsolicited text messages or emails from “Amazon”. The message will ask you to confirm a product you did not order, advise there is a problem with your account or offer a refund. The message will direct you to click on a link or call a phone number provided. Victims are then asked to send money, asked for bank account information or give over control of their computers. Victims then suffer a monetary loss.
From Amazon-
“Amazon will never send you an unsolicited message that asks you to provide sensitive personal information like your social insurance number, tax ID, bank account number, credit card information, ID questions like your mother's maiden name or your password. Amazon will never ask you to make a payment outside of our website and will never ask you for remote access to your device.”
While some departments at Amazon will make outbound calls to customers, Amazon will never ask you to disclose or verify sensitive personal information, or offer you a refund you do not expect.
The link below will provide more info about scams Amazon is trying to protect its customers from.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=G4YFYCCNUSENA23B
The Financial Crimes Unit reminds people before acting to go through the following steps.
1. STOP…scammers work on pressure. Take a moment and collect your thoughts.
2. LOOK.. at the situation. Does this make sense? Did I order a package from Amazon? Go to the Amazon site and confirm the information yourself.
3. LISTEN…Listen to your inner voice telling you something does not make sense or this is too good to be true.
Hamilton Police would like to encourages anyone who may have been a victim of this scam to report these incidents to the police by using our online reporting tool at https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/report-crime/online-reporting or calling 905-546-4925.