Amazon Prime Day is coming up on July 16-17, 2024, and shoppers around the world are gearing up for great deals and exclusive offers. Last year, Prime members bought more than 375 million items and saved more than $2.5 billion. It was the biggest Prime Day ever, and this year it could be even better. However, with excitement comes risk. Cybercriminals use this busy shopping time to launch phishing attacks. They trick people into giving out personal information or financial details by sending fake emails or creating fake websites. Although the deals are great, it’s important to be cautious, check links before clicking, and make sure you’re on the real Amazon site.

According to a Check Point Research report, phishing attacks usually begin with a message sent via email, social media or other methods. Cybercriminals gather information about their targets from social networks to make their fake messages more credible. These messages often contain malicious attachments or links to fake websites that look like trusted sites such as Amazon. The goal is to steal private information such as usernames, passwords or payment details.

In June 2024, more than 1,230 new domains related to Amazon were registered, 85 percent of which were flagged as malicious. Examples include:

—amazon-onboarding(.)com: Pretending to be Amazon to steal carrier-related credentials.
—amazonmxc(.)shop: A fake Amazon Mexico site created to steal login details.
—amazonindo(.)com: Another fake Amazon site with a fake login page.

There are many other malicious sites with names similar to Amazon, created to deceive users and steal their information.

In June 2024, a phishing campaign targeted the US using files such as Mail-AmazonReports-73074(264).pdf. These files claimed that the recipient’s Amazon account was suspended due to billing issues and urged them to update their payment details through a phishing link.

Another example involved a fake Amazon Prime Video order. The phishing email included a link to a fake Amazon login page designed to steal login credentials.

Here’s how you can stay safe

Here are some tips to help you stay safe when shopping online:
—Check URLs carefully: Look for misspellings or unusual domains.
—Create a strong password: Use a strong password for your Amazon account.
—Check HTTPS: Make sure the website URL starts with ” and has a lock icon.
—Limit personal information: Don’t share unnecessary personal details.
—Be careful with emails: Verify the source before clicking on links or downloading attachments.
—Be suspicious of unrealistic deals: If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.
—Use a credit card: Credit cards offer better security than debit cards for online shopping.

By being cautious and following these tips, you can enjoy a safe Amazon Prime Day.