Though it's one of the most well-liked online shopping sites, did you realise that scammers frequently target Amazon. The brushing scam is one of many scams that prey on Amazon customers, but it is also one of the most prevalent. Learn about this fraud and how to avoid falling victim to it.
What do Amazon brush scams entail?
One sort of eCommerce fraud involves vendors creating fictitious customer accounts to leave positive reviews for their own products on Amazon. These false testimonials may deceive other customers and affect their purchasing choices.
Sometimes the merchant would send a low-quality item or an empty box to the bogus account before swiftly refunding the money. They do this in order to make a verified purchase, which gives their false reviews credibility.
Scams of this nature damage consumer confidence and compromise the reliability of the Amazon marketplace. 3PL delivery firms, which often require little customer verification before shipping out an order, can be particularly susceptible to this form of fraud.
How do brushing scams function?
A typical brush scam involves the seller giving a substantial discount on a costly item. When a customer tries to purchase a product, they are transferred to another website where they must input their credit card details. The fraudsters use this information to create fake invoices.
Because the con artists frequently use the name of a well-known company, like Amazon, to make it seem legitimate, this form of scam is also known as a "brushing scam". The buyer could occasionally even get an email from Amazon that appears to be an order confirmation. But if you mouse over the email's link, you'll notice that it doesn't actually take you to Amazon's website.
Mitigation tips
There are a few things you may do if you've been the victim of brushing to report it and obtain assistance.
Contact customer service
First, contact their customer service department and explain the situation if you bought the item from an online retailer like Amazon, eBay, or Alibaba. They might be able to give you a refund or another sort of compensation for your purchase.
Reach out to the 3PL
Second, you should get in touch with the 3pl (third party logistics) business, such as UPS or FedEx, if the item you bought was shipped by them, and explain the problem. They might be able to find the sender of the box and take proper action after that.
Speak with your bank
Finally, you should call your bank or credit card company right once if you believe that your personal information, such as your credit card number, may have been hacked. If necessary, they will be able to assist you in cancelling your card and issuing a new one.