Beware of Amazon Prime Day Scams

Posted on July 7, 2025 by resourcefulman

Prime Day 2025 runs from Tuesday, July 8 through Friday, July 11, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price tracking tools.

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New to Prime Day? We’ve got the lowdown on everything you need to know . Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

Amazon Prime Day is here, which means scammers are out in force trying to take advantage of bargain-hunting shoppers. If you’re a Prime member, you could be the target of scams ranging from impersonation and phishing to fake product listings and unsolicited packages ( known as purge scams ).

In particular, impersonation is a common scam tactic used to convince you that the person you are interacting with is a legitimate representative of a trusted company or organization. The goal is ultimately to trick you into handing over personal or financial information that scammers can use to access your accounts and steal money or your identity. Amazon is not immune : scammers have used all forms of communication, including phone, email, text, and social media, to contact customers about their Amazon accounts.

Amazon Prime Membership Scam

Amazon is warning customers about a recent surge in fake emails related to Prime subscriptions. Scammers are sending messages to Prime members saying their subscriptions will be renewed, but at an unexpected — likely higher — price. The emails contain a “cancel subscription” button or link that takes you to a phishing site that mimics an Amazon login page. If you use the site, you could give your Amazon login or banking information to the scammers. Amazon notes that these fake emails may be personalized to appear more legitimate and convincing.

Another possible variation of this scam is a message that says there’s a problem with your account that you need to contact Amazon to resolve. (If you’re planning to shop Prime Day deals, this “problem” may seem especially pressing.) However, if you click the link or call the phone number provided, you’ll likely be connected to scammers rather than Amazon customer service.

How to Avoid Prime Day Scams

If you receive an urgent message from Amazon about your Prime membership, you can probably just ignore it. Don’t click on any links or respond to messages directly—communicating with scammers increases the likelihood that your information will be compromised in some way.

What do you think at the moment?

If you’re unsure of your Prime membership status, you can view your renewal date and plan information in the Amazon app or on the Amazon website (go to Accounts & Lists > Account > Prime ). Always type amazon.com directly into your browser to avoid phishing websites that may show up in your search results. You can also check any communication with Amazon in Accounts & Lists > Account > Your Messages , as all legitimate messages will be archived here.

If you think you’ve been scammed, you can report it on Amazon’s support page . You can also enable two-factor authentication on your Amazon account and, if you’ve accidentally clicked on any suspicious links, monitor your bank and credit card statements for unauthorized activity.

Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and Home Depot are running Prime Day sales that are especially helpful if you don’t have Amazon Prime.

Walmart’s Prime Day sale starts at midnight on July 8 and includes discounts of up to 50% . It’s an especially good option if you have Walmart+.
Best Buy’s Prime Day sale , “Black Friday in July,” runs through Sunday, July 13, and offers some of the best tech sales online . It’s an especially good option if you’re a My Best Buy “Plus” or “Total” member.
Home Depot has extended its July 4 sale through at least July 9, competing with some of its own great deals . It’s a particularly good option if you’re looking for power tools, appliances, or outdoor gear.