{"id":225119,"date":"2026-01-09T11:34:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T19:34:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=225119"},"modified":"2026-01-09T11:34:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T19:34:58","slug":"this-week-in-scams-explaining-the-fake-amazon-code-surge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/this-week-in-scams-explaining-the-fake-amazon-code-surge\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week in Scams: Explaining the Fake Amazon Code Surge"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week in scams, the biggest threats showed up as routine security messages, viral consumer \u201cwarnings,\u201d and AI-generated content that blended seamlessly into platforms people already trust.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Every week, we bring you a roundup of the\u00a0scams\u00a0making headlines, not just to track\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0happening, but to explain\u00a0<\/span>how<\/span><\/i>\u00a0these schemes work,\u00a0<\/span>why<\/span><\/i>\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0spreading now, and what you can do to stay ahead of them.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are\u00a0scams\u00a0in the news\u00a0this week,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0safety tips from our\u00a0experts at McAfee:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Amazon One-Time Passcode Scam: How Fake Security Calls Hijack Real Accounts<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Scammers are increasingly impersonating Amazon customer support<\/a> to take over accounts using\u00a0<\/span>real one-time passcodes (OTPs),\u00a0<\/span><\/b>not fake\u00a0links\u00a0or malware.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s\u00a0how the\u00a0scam\u00a0works in practice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the Amazon one-time passcode\u00a0scam?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Victims receive an unsolicited phone call from someone claiming to work for\u00a0<\/span>Amazon<\/span><\/b>. The caller says suspicious activity has been detected on the account and may reference expensive purchases,\u00a0often items like smartphones,\u00a0to make the threat feel credible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The call usually comes from a spoofed\u00a0number\u00a0and the scammer may already know your name or phone number, which helps lower suspicion.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How scammers use real Amazon security codes<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

While speaking to you, the scammer\u00a0attempts\u00a0to access your Amazon account themselves by entering your phone number or email address on the login page and selecting \u201cforgot password\u201d or triggering a login from a new device.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That action causes Amazon\u2019s real security system to send a\u00a0<\/span>legitimate one-time passcode<\/span><\/b>\u00a0to your phone or email.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you read that code aloud or share it, the scammer can\u00a0immediately:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n