The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Phishing Scam

Amazon customers are asked to delete "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" emails like the one, which claim their payment has been declined or there is a billing problem. The fake emails are being sent by cybercriminals who are attempting to trick their potential victims into clicking on the links in the same emails, which go to a phishing website that steal account credentials and personal information.

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The Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem Phishing Scam

The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Scam

From: Amazon.co.uk amazon@virginmedia.com

Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2018 7:32 AM

Subject: Payment Declined: Billing Problem

Payment Declined

Hello,

We’ve sent a message to your Message Centre in your Amazon account. The message will be available for 90 days.

We have temporarily suspend your account and your access to online it will be restricted if you fail to update.

To restore your account, please enter the following to complete your sign-in.

Update your payment method

To learn more about safe online shopping, visit the "Security & Privacy" section of our Help pages.

Sincerely,

Account Specialist

Amazon.co.uk

http://www.amazon.co.uk

Amazon customers should always go directly to www.amazon.co.uk or www.amazon.com to view their order status or other account notifications. Instead of clicking on a link in an email which may go to a phishing website that steals personal and account information.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 8)

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February 15, 2021 at 10:36 PM by
The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Phishing Scam
info

"From: Amazon. com <sdffwe@amazoamomsndb.com>

Sent: Monday, February 15, 2021, 09:46:35 AM EST

Subject: The payment for Order #875-097865-657464 has been Declined.

Hello,

We're writing to let you know the payment for Order #875-097865-657464 has been Declined. You can check the current status of your order, and update your payment method here

http://www.amazon.com/gp//css/ summary/edit.html/?orderID= Order #875-097865-657464

We're having trouble completing the payment for the above order. The issuing bank may have declined the charge if the name, expiration date, or ZIP Code you entered at Amazon.com does not exactly match the bank's information.

Valid payment information must be received within 24 hours, otherwise your order will be canceled.

for more information about this transaction kindly Visit www.amazon.com/ cashgcresellers to learn more.

We hope to see you again soon.

Best Regards,

Customer Service

Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/"

Another scam.

Delete

January 5, 2021 at 9:33 PM by
The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Phishing Scam
info

"From: Amazon. com <amazonbilling1@d1111473.exch.instanturl.net>

Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2021, 05:47:27 PM EST

Subject: Declined: Your amazon.com order (#D01-164536211- #113-8317348-8699478)

Dear Amazon customer,

Due to a problem with the payment method you provided, we couldn't charge your account for your order (#113-8317348-8699478).

We may attempt to reprocess payment for your order now using the payment method you provided.

Please follow the link below to make sure the payment information you provided is correct, to avoid any invalid payment method for your future order.

https://www.amazon.com/ap/ signi?_account-summary/html?- Order(#D01-164536211-#113-8317348-8699478)

Note: this email was sent from a notification -only address that cannot accept incoming mail. please do not reply to this message.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us: https://www.amazon.com/ display.html?nodeId=508510& ref_=nav_cs_customerservice

Thank you for shopping with us

We hope to see you again soon

Amazon.com Customer Service"

Here is another scam.

Delete

March 16, 2020 at 1:12 PM by
The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Phishing Scam
an anonymous user from: St Louis, Missouri, United States

Yup, I got two also and with the attached document was super suspicious because it directed me to a website but when I was navigated to the new website I tried clicking on the "Conditions of Use" "Privacy Notice" and "Help " it said the website was not found. That's when I knew something was up so I double-checked and called Amazon and I was right it was a scam. Please be careful out there :)

Delete

March 8, 2020 at 4:56 AM by
The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Phishing Scam
an anonymous user from: Berkley, Michigan, United States

I got one of those 2. I delete it and move on.

Delete

January 10, 2020 at 2:32 PM by
The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Phishing Scam
an anonymous user from: Norwich, England, United Kingdom

I just received an email saying payment had been declined and asking me for details. I got suspicious when they asked for card details. I did not give them card details but they have my mother's maiden name and my address and postcode. What should I do next?

Delete

January 10, 2020 at 2:46 PM by
The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Phishing Scam
info

Just be careful going forward.

Delete

July 27, 2019 at 11:45 AM by
The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Phishing Scam
info

"From: "Amazon.com" <woss.amazon@es.support.com>

Date: July 26, 2019 at 1:29:09 PM PDT

Subject: Payment declined: Update your information so we can ship your order

Amazon Logo

Payment Declined.

Dear Customer,

We are having trouble authorizing your payment for your order. Please verify or update your payment method.

If your payment information is correct, please contact your bank for more details.* Valid payment information must be received within 3days, otherwise your order will be cancelled.

Update your payment method

We hope to see you again soon.

Kind regards,

Amazon Team"

Here is another scam.

Delete

June 23, 2019 at 5:09 AM by
The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Phishing Scam
info

"From: Amazon. com <Amazon3@aarnet.edu.au>

Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2019, 11:09:31 AM EDT

Subject: Payment declined: Update your information

Hi,

Unfortunately, we're having trouble billing your card for your Amazon package, to continue using your Amazon account. Please updated your card/billing address.

Update Billing Address

Learn more about resolving declined payments.

We hope to see you again soon.

Amazon.com"

Here is another scam.

Delete

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

The "Amazon Payment Declined - Billing Problem" Phishing Scam