As the Amazon Great Freedom Festival sale kicks off, shoppers eagerly flock to the e-commerce platform to snag the best deals. However, this surge in online activity has also attracted scammers looking to exploit unsuspecting customers through various schemes, the most prevalent being the OTP scam.
Amazon has warned its customers about a surge in OTP related scams. Fraudsters are posing as Amazon customer service representatives or delivery agents, making unsolicited phone calls to customers. These scammers create a sense of urgency by informing potential victims of unexpected orders or deliveries, manipulating them into revealing their One-Time Password (OTP) to cancel the supposed transactions.
The scam typically unfolds as follows: a customer receives a call from someone claiming to be from Amazon, who insists there has been an order that needs immediate cancellation. The caller then requests the customer to share their sign-in OTP. Believing they are preventing a delivery mistake, the customer shares the OTP, unknowingly giving the scammer access to their Amazon account.
Protecting yourself from OTP scams
Amazon has emphasised that it will never ask customers to share their sign-in OTP or passcode over the phone. Customers should be vigilant and cautious when receiving unexpected communications, whether via call, text, or email. If any communication appears suspicious, Amazon urges customers to report it immediately at amazon.in/reportascam.
Recent delivery-related incidents
Compounding Amazon’s challenges, a series of delivery-related incidents has further impacted customer trust. In a particularly troubling case, a 42-year-old Mahim resident, Amar Chavan, ordered a Tecno Phantom V Fold 5G smartphone valued at Rs 54,999. Instead of the high-end smartphone, he received a set of tea cups. This incident, reported on July 15, underscores a recurring issue with Amazon deliveries.
Additionally, a Bengaluru woman recently reported finding a snake in her Amazon package, highlighting significant lapses in quality control and delivery procedures. These incidents raise serious concerns about the e-commerce giant’s ability to maintain consistent service quality, especially during high-traffic sale periods like the Great Freedom Festival.
The growing number of such incidents has sparked a public relations crisis for Amazon, prompting the company to reassure customers of its commitment to quality and security. By addressing the rise in OTP scams, Amazon aims to restore customer confidence and ensure a safe shopping experience during its major sales events.