SCAM ALERT: HACKERS have devised a scam which is targeting those who are purchasing products online.
The number of people being scammed has increased with consumers purchasing gifts in the run-up to Christmas.
The fraudsters are pretending to be from Amazon.com - and are sending e-mails to consumers saying there's been a problem with the shipment of their product.
While many are ignoring them because they haven't purchased any products online - others that have purchased online have unfortunately fallen for the scam.
The e-mail states that there's been a problem shipping the product to you due to a billing issue.
The legitimate looking e-mail is then re-directing people to a landing page - which asks users to submit their payment details in order to process the online order.
Users are asked to pay a small fee for shipping, but unfortunately many have been scammed and have lost substantial amounts of money as a result.
Consumer watchdogs are asking those purchasing online to be extra vigilant - as the busy Christmas period is a prime target for hackers to strike.
Below is a copy of one of the e-mails which were sent into us at Donegal Daily,
Hello XXXX
We have removed your access to this account because we could not confirm your payment information.
You will not be able to access your account or place orders with us until we confirm your information.
To resolve this matter, please click here to update your payment information or send the information below to our secure fax line:
-- A copy of your statement for your current payment method, including the billing address
-- Your name, phone number, and the email address registered to your Amazon.comaccount
You can find our fax number on the Amazon.com Help page:
https://www.amazon.com/help/addressverification
We will convert your fax to a secure electronic image. To protect your information, we restrict access to your payment information to a team of account specialists.
Our Customer Service team can confirm that we sent this email, but they cannot view your fax or share more information about this matter.
You can expect a response from us within 24 hours of sending your fax.
We ask that you not open new accounts because any new order that you place may be delayed.
Sincerely,
Anoop Joel
Account Specialist
http://www.amazon.com