Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale is on now, running Oct. 6 and 7. Security researchers say scammers have been getting ready for weeks, and the fake messages are already landing in inboxes and text threads.
Here’s what to watch for and how to keep a good deal from turning into a stolen account.
The sale, briefly
The 48-hour event started at 12:01 a.m. Pacific time (3:01 a.m. Eastern) on Oct. 6. It is for Prime members only. Amazon says new deals drop three times a day, at midnight, 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pacific (3 a.m., 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern), and promises discounts of “up to 55% or more.”
That steady stream of “limited time” deals is exactly what scammers like to copy.
What the researchers found
Check Point Research counted 1,284 newly registered Amazon- and Prime Day-related web domains in September, up 42% from 905 in July. About 6.5% of September’s new domains were flagged as malicious or suspicious, or roughly one in 16. Examples included addresses like “amazonprime-support” and “primevideoamazon” built to steal logins and card numbers.
Security firm KnowBe4 reported that Amazon impersonation attacks jumped 188% between late August and September, according to IT Security Guru. Its researchers sorted the lures into four main themes:
- Prime billing or renewal problems (31%): “Your membership couldn’t be renewed. Update your payment.”
- Free gifts or rewards (29%): a prize, gift card or survey reward that needs your details.
- Delivery notices (25%): a package that’s “on hold” until you confirm an address or pay a small fee.
- Limited-time offers (15%): deals that look too good, often with a countdown timer.
“As Prime Big Deal Days approach, cybercriminals rely heavily on our fear of missing out,” said Lucy Gee, lead threat analyst at KnowBe4.
Check Point also warned that AI-generated messages and websites can look polished. Spelling mistakes and clumsy logos used to be a giveaway. That’s no longer a reliable test.
How to protect yourself
Go to Amazon directly
Don’t click links in emails or texts about orders, deals or account problems, even if they look real. Open the Amazon app or type amazon.com yourself and check “Your Orders” and your account messages. Amazon’s own advice is to verify any message about a purchase, account issue or recall that way before acting.
Know what Amazon won’t ask for
- Amazon says it will not ask for payment over the phone or email, only in its app, on its website or in its stores.
- It will never ask you to buy gift cards, and no legitimate transaction requires gift card payment.
- It won’t ask you to install software or give someone remote access to your computer.
- Don’t call phone numbers from texts, emails or search results. Get support through the app or website.
Lock down your account
Turn on Amazon’s two-step verification (a form of multi-factor authentication) or set up a passkey if you haven’t already. That way a stolen password alone won’t get someone into your account.
Slow down when you feel rushed
Countdown timers and “only 2 left” warnings are real on Amazon, but scammers copy them too. If a message pushes you to act within minutes, close it and check the deal in the app.
Watch your statements
After the sale, review your card and bank activity for charges you don’t recognize. A credit card generally gives you stronger fraud protection than a debit card.
If you think you’ve been scammed
- Change your Amazon password and turn on two-step verification right away.
- Call your bank or card issuer using the number on the back of your card.
- Report the message to Amazon through its scam reporting page or by emailing reportascam@amazon.com.
- You can also report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and check the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker.
More on Contoh
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Four Habits That Make You a Harder Target
- How to Find and Cancel Subscriptions on iPhone and Android
- How to Freeze Your Credit (and Unfreeze It When You Need To)
Sources
- About Amazon: Prime Big Deal Days, our biggest deals to kick off fall and holiday shopping Oct. 6–7
- About Amazon: 6 tips to help you spot and avoid scams impersonating Amazon
- Check Point Blog: Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2026, as shopping activity surges, so do cyber threats
- IT Security Guru: Prime Big Deal Days, scammers stock up early as Amazon impersonation attacks nearly triple
- Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Better Business Bureau: Scam Tracker