How did Fake Amazon get this information?
February 12, 2022 10:45 AM Subscribe
My husband ordered something via Amazon last night and got confirmation of it on his Outlook e-mail account. Today, we've gotten 5 calls in 90 minutes, from various spoofed numbers claiming to be Amazon, who say they want us to press 1 to authorize the order.
I know this is a scam. We didn't pick up or talk to them. What I don't know is, how did the scammers get the information that an order was placed?
Shouldn't we, the credit card company, Outlook, and Amazon be the only ones who know that? And shouldn't all of those have an interest in not sharing that information with third parties, especially scammers?
(Would Firefox know about the transaction, if it were the browser used to make the order? Would Apple, if the e-mail were read on an iPhone?)
The item they're calling about is not the item that was purchased, but is made by the same company (sort of like if we'd purchased a replacement belt for a Hoover vacuum cleaner and got calls the next day about a purchase of a specific Hoover vacuum, but not the one that takes that belt).
The phone numbers they're spoofing are (so far) from our area code, but not our city, and are coming in on the landline (which is probably the number on file with Amazon for the account) instead of the cell.
Shouldn't we, the credit card company, Outlook, and Amazon be the only ones who know that? And shouldn't all of those have an interest in not sharing that information with third parties, especially scammers?
(Would Firefox know about the transaction, if it were the browser used to make the order? Would Apple, if the e-mail were read on an iPhone?)
The item they're calling about is not the item that was purchased, but is made by the same company (sort of like if we'd purchased a replacement belt for a Hoover vacuum cleaner and got calls the next day about a purchase of a specific Hoover vacuum, but not the one that takes that belt).
The phone numbers they're spoofing are (so far) from our area code, but not our city, and are coming in on the landline (which is probably the number on file with Amazon for the account) instead of the cell.
Response by poster: (I didn't know when writing this question that the original order was two items.) One item was through Amazon itself, the other was a Chinese third-party seller. So yeah, I guess that could be it.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 11:14 AM on February 12, 2022
posted by Spathe Cadet at 11:14 AM on February 12, 2022
Best answer: If the fake Amazon calls are talking about Apple products, it’s probably coincidence. Over a few days last week I got a dozen of those calls, and I’ve made no similar real purchase.
If it’s a more obscure specific item, the third party seller looks much more suspect.
posted by kite at 11:17 AM on February 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
If it’s a more obscure specific item, the third party seller looks much more suspect.
posted by kite at 11:17 AM on February 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
Response by poster: The call was asking specifically about an Apple product, yes.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 11:33 AM on February 12, 2022
posted by Spathe Cadet at 11:33 AM on February 12, 2022
Best answer: Oh, yeah, I get phone calls all the time telling me that my Amazon order of an iPhone for (specific amount) is ready/needs to be approved/will be charged to my credit card unless I press 1. I haven't owned an Apple product in 10 years.
posted by gideonfrog at 12:56 PM on February 12, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by gideonfrog at 12:56 PM on February 12, 2022 [5 favorites]
Best answer: I also have received multiple phone calls about my order for a MacBook something or other and I need to press 1. Pure coincidence you actually bought one recently.
posted by DaveP at 2:07 PM on February 12, 2022
posted by DaveP at 2:07 PM on February 12, 2022
Response by poster: I think I'm content to assume it's coincidental; I didn't know that the Apple / Amazon combination was already a thing.
I'm always happy to have another reason to avoid buying through Amazon third-party sellers, too, as far as that goes.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 3:53 PM on February 12, 2022
I'm always happy to have another reason to avoid buying through Amazon third-party sellers, too, as far as that goes.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 3:53 PM on February 12, 2022
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posted by Blue Jello Elf at 10:55 AM on February 12, 2022 [3 favorites]