Amazon Freedom sale is live: Here's an important ‘OTP scam warning' from the company

Amazon Great Freedom Festival sale is here and as shoppers flock to the e-commerce platform for shopping, scammers are also gearing up to capitalise on the increased online activity. One common tactic employed by fraudsters is the OTP scam. Numerous individuals have fallen victim to this scheme in the past, prompting Amazon to issue warnings to its customers.
Since people usually spend thousands of their hard-earned money, it becomes crucial to remain vigilant and protect personal information during this sale period, especially from scammers requesting sign-in OTP via phone calls.

In a communication shared with customers recently, Amazon said that scammers are adopting multiple tactics to defraud unsuspecting shoppers. A growing number of individuals have reported receiving phone calls from individuals posing as Amazon customer service representatives or delivery agents. These scammers aim to steal personal information, including login credentials, by manipulating victims into revealing sensitive data.

Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency, stating that there has been an unexpected order or delivery which may not have been placed by a potential victim. The scammers will then ask for a sign-in One-Time Password (OTP) to cancel the delivery.
A confused ‘customer’ then shares the OTP thinking that he/ she has averted the hassle of package delivery, however in reality, the scammer has gained access to the account. Shoppers must note that Amazon will never ask its customers to share their account sign-in OTP or passcode, especially over the phone to avoid being scammed.
“If you receive communication — a call, text, or email — that you think may not be from Amazon, please report it to us at, amazon.in/reportascam,” it said.
Last year, Amazon India and the Uttar Pradesh Police joined hands to fight fraud and protect online shoppers from bad actors. They launched a consumer education and awareness campaign named #MissionGraHAQ.
Meanwhile, if you are a victim of cybercrime, register your complaint with the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in/ or call 1930.