Do Not Fall for this Phishing Scam Alert

The Watertown Police Department is warning against a new phishing scam regarding unusual activity on your Amazon account.

Scammers will use text and email messages to try to trick you into giving them personal information. These include passwords, account numbers, and Social Security numbers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing messages daily- many are successful.

In order to protect yourself and your information here is how to identify a phishing scam.

The message may say:

They’ve noticed suspicious activity or log-in attempts

Claim there’s a problem with your account or payment information

Say you must confirm some personal information

Include a fake invoice

Want you to click a link to make a payment

Say you’re eligible to register for a government refund

Offer a coupon for free stuff.

These phishing messages may seem very real but first, ask yourself; Do I have an account with the company? If “no”, then you know it's a possible scam. If “yes”, and you’re concerned about your account, always contact the company directly through their website or phone number. Do not click on any links sent through the message as these can install harmful malware.

The following is an example of a phishing text message currently going around.