Amazon has issued a stark warning to all of its customers to be aware of cyber thieves during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.
As Christmas draws closer, many of us will be making some last-minute online shopping orders rather than actually visiting the shops on the high street. Shopping online, as handy as it is, comes with many risks of your personal information being stolen.
So Amazon, one of the biggest online stores there is, has warned shoppers to be on the lookout for anything suspicious while browsing online - and has highlighted some key signs of a potential scam.
The Express reports that there are a number of tactics currently being used by hackers in a bid to steal personal data including user names, passwords and even bank details.
Common scams include emails that may look as though they're from Amazon, with shoppers receiving a message that they need to confirm an order before it's shipped.
Then, scammers attempt to get customers to fill in their personal details so they can be "paid" or even install harmful software on to their device.
Amazon says that if you receive a message you weren't expecting, you should log in to your account and verify it. Only legitimate purchases will appear in the order history - and Customer Service is available 24/7 to assist.
Aside from fake orders, fraudsters have also created fake tech support websites for sites like Amazon and its devices.
Customers who land on these pages are then lured into contacting the scammer and often fall victim to their schemes, which include stealing personal data and installing malware onto devices.
If you need help with anything on your Amazon account, there's a section on the website that should have the answer to any questions you have.
Amazon also says that users should only ever access its services via official channels such as the iPhone/Android app or the Amazon.co.uk website.
Cyber criminals often use a false sense of urgency to get information from people, so you should be wary of any correspondence that features phrases like "act now".
Two more top tips include never paying over the phone for products. Amazon will never ask customers to give any payment information, including gift cards (or “verification cards”, as some scammers call them) for products or services over the phone.
Lastly, if you get any calls or emails that claim to be from Amazon but you've got your doubts, you can report it here.
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