Amazon delivery scam: As a tech journalist, I have this one warning for you
They knew what I had ordered, how much it cost, and even who delivered it. It was nearly enough to convince me to hand over an OTP.
As a journalist, and more specifically a tech journalist, I often report on various online scams. It is rare that I actually encounter one myself. But a few days ago, I came across a scam that genuinely shook me. I was not expecting it. I am usually quite careful with my online transactions, but this one almost had me fooled.
I am talking about an Amazon delivery scam in which the scammer knew alarming details. These included my cash on delivery order, exactly what I had ordered, how much it cost, the precise time it was delivered, and even who delivered it. It was nearly enough to convince me to hand over an OTP.
The order that triggered the scam
I ordered a JioTag Air worth ₹748 on Amazon India. I needed it for immediate travel, as I wanted to track my luggage, and it was delivered the very next day via Amazon Prime Delivery. It was a cash on delivery order. As I was in a hurry, I ended up paying the delivery executive via UPI. Everything seemed sorted.
However, the day after the JioTag Air was delivered, I received a call from a random person who claimed that he had forgotten to take the cash on delivery OTP from me and needed it to fulfil the order. He said, “Sir, please tell me the COD code. I forgot to take it.” At first, it sounded plausible.
The red flag that saved me
When the code arrived, I was almost ready to share it. But then I noticed that the SMS, which came directly from Amazon, clearly stated that it was an account login code, not a cash on delivery fulfilment code. That immediately raised a red flag.
I told the caller that I was not comfortable sharing OTPs over the phone. He insisted, saying that the code was required to fulfil the order and that even if I wanted to return the product, I would need to share it with him. I immediately opened my Amazon account and saw that there was absolutely no need to share any code. The product was already marked as delivered and was returnable without any OTP.
That is when I realised what was actually transpiring. I cut the call short.
What could have gone wrong
In a worst case scenario, had I shared the OTP, the scammer could have gained access to my Amazon account. This could have led to serious financial losses. I usually keep a decent amount of money in my Amazon Pay wallet, and had the person gained access, he could have siphoned it off or misused my saved credit cards and personal information to carry out a larger scam.
Key takeaways to stay safe
If you come across a similar scam, always read the SMS carefully. OTPs can be delivered via SMS or WhatsApp, and the purpose of the code is clearly mentioned, so pay close attention to that.
Next, always check the identity of the caller using apps like Truecaller. I did the same, and while the caller ID showed Amazon, the lack of a verification badge was a clear giveaway that someone was impersonating the brand.
Finally, no delivery executive will ever ask for an OTP or a delivery code a full day after a package has already been delivered.
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