Amazon has issued a broad warning about rising scam activity during the Black Friday shopping period, urging customers to stay alert as cybercriminals increase attempts to steal personal and financial information.
The company sent an email to selected users on 24 November, noting that attackers are using impersonation schemes to gain access to sensitive data. Although only some customers received the message, Amazon said that “all customers should remain alert,” indicating that the threat is widespread.
The warning follows new research that highlights a surge in malicious activity linked to major brands and seasonal themes. With more than three hundred million active Amazon users worldwide, experts say the scale of risk this year is unusually high.
A report from a common security research group, published on 25 November, shows a significant rise in holiday themed domain registrations. Analysts found more than eighteen thousand such domains registered in the past three months, with at least seven hundred and fifty confirmed as malicious.
Another trend involves criminals creating domains that mimic well known companies such as Netflix, PayPal and Amazon. These are used to send deceptive notifications and spoofed customer service messages through browser alerts and services linked to the Matrix Push criminal network. The report identified more than nineteen thousand brand related domains recently, with nearly three thousand confirmed as malicious. The researchers explained that “these are often nearly identical to the legitimate domains,” making them hard to detect when consumers are shopping quickly.
Cybersecurity specialists say that artificial intelligence is helping scammers create more convincing content. One expert from a security firm said scammers are now using AI to produce order confirmations, retailer websites and chat style support messages that closely resemble genuine communication. “We are guaranteed to see ever more advanced scams this year,” she said.
Amazon’s warning reflects both long standing fraud patterns and new tactics tailored for busy shopping seasons. Fake delivery updates, false account issue alerts and unexpected tech support calls remain common. Third party advertisements, especially on social platforms, are becoming a more effective tool for scammers.
Attackers rely on the fast pace of holiday shopping as people skim emails, switch between websites and react quickly to supposed shipping problems or limited time offers. Analysts say scammers take advantage of this impulsive behaviour.
Amazon stressed that threats often arrive through unofficial channels, including links that lead to pages designed to steal credentials or requests for payment information outside the company’s systems. It also reminded users that it does not ask for account verification by email or payment information by phone.
Amazon advised customers to use only its official website or mobile app for delivery updates, customer support and account changes. It encouraged activating two factor authentication and recommended passkeys, which use biometric verification instead of passwords.
Security experts say this guidance reflects a shift towards reducing reliance on passwords, which are often vulnerable. As online shopping increases in November and December, the risk of scams rises sharply. One analyst noted that “the scams are evolving because the incentives are. The more people shop online, the more valuable every misstep becomes.”
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