How to Spot Fake Amazon Phishing Emails and Texts in 2026

"Your Amazon order #112-3456789 has been placed. If you didn't make this purchase, click here to cancel." Sound familiar? With over 300 million active Amazon accounts worldwide, it's the most impersonated brand in phishing attacks. In 2025 alone, Amazon phishing attempts increased by over 60%.

These scams work because they exploit trust. You probably get legitimate Amazon notifications every week, making it easy to let your guard down.

Most Common Amazon Phishing Scams

1. Fake Delivery Notifications

The classic. Messages claiming your package is undeliverable, your address needs updating, or a delivery fee is required.

Examples:

• "Your Amazon package could not be delivered. Update your address: amaz0n-delivery.com"
• "USPS: Your Amazon parcel is held at the facility. Pay $1.99 redelivery fee."

2. Fraudulent Order Confirmations

Messages about orders you never placed, designed to make you click "Cancel Order."

Examples:

• "Your order for MacBook Pro ($1,299.99) has shipped. Not you? Cancel here."
• "Amazon: Payment of $849.00 processed. Dispute this charge: [link]"

3. Account Suspension Threats

Warnings that your account will be locked unless you "verify" your information.

4. Fake Prize and Gift Card Offers

"You've won an Amazon gift card!" or "Exclusive Prime member reward."

Real vs. Fake: Quick Reference

Check	Legitimate Amazon	Phishing Attempt
Sender email	@amazon.com	@amazon-support.net, @amaz0n.com
Links	amazon.com/...	Shortened URLs or misspelled domains
Info requests	Never asks for password via email	Asks for password, SSN, or full card number
Greeting	Uses your actual name	"Dear Customer" or "Dear User"
Urgency	Calm tone	"Act within 24 hours or account locked"
Verification	Check your Amazon app	No matching notification in app

What To Do If You Receive a Suspicious Message

Immediate Steps

1. Don't click any links — not even to "see what happens"
2. Open the Amazon app directly — if it's real, you'll see it there
3. Forward phishing emails to stop@amazon.com
4. Report phishing texts by forwarding to 7726 (SPAM)

If You Already Clicked

1. Change your Amazon password immediately
2. Enable two-factor authentication
3. Check your order history for unauthorized purchases
4. Contact your bank if you entered payment info
5. Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov

5 Habits to Protect Your Amazon Account

1. Enable two-step verification — Amazon Settings > Login & Security
2. Use a unique password — never reuse passwords across sites
3. Only use the official app — avoid clicking email links to access Amazon
4. Set up purchase notifications — get alerts for every transaction
5. Review login activity — check "Manage Your Devices" regularly

Sharing Account Info Safely

Sometimes you need to share your Amazon login with a family member or share a gift card code with a friend. Sending passwords through iMessage or Messenger leaves them sitting in chat history indefinitely.

LOCK.PUB lets you create password-protected, self-destructing memos for sharing sensitive information. The recipient enters a password to view the content, and it can be set to expire automatically. It's free and requires no app installation.

Beyond Amazon: Other Frequently Impersonated Brands

Brand	Common Scam Type
PayPal	"Unauthorized transaction detected"
Netflix	"Payment failed, update billing info"
Apple	"Your Apple ID has been locked"
USPS/FedEx	"Package delivery failed"
Bank of America	"Suspicious activity on your account"

How to Verify Links Before Clicking

Hover over (don't click) any link to see the actual URL. Legitimate Amazon links always go to amazon.com. If you need to share important links with someone you trust, use LOCK.PUB to wrap them in a password-protected link. This ensures only the intended recipient can access the URL, keeping sensitive information out of the wrong hands.

Final Thoughts

Amazon phishing is a billion-dollar criminal industry, and the scams are getting harder to spot thanks to AI-generated content. The golden rule: never click links in emails or texts. Always go directly to the Amazon app.

When you need to share sensitive information like account credentials or gift card codes, create a password-protected memo at LOCK.PUB — it's free and takes 10 seconds.

If a message feels urgent, that's exactly when you should slow down.