The advent of technology brought with it plenty of positive influences on every day life, like allowing for instantaneous connectivity with friends and family. Unfortunately, it brought plenty of negatives along with it, like phishing scams.
What Is a Phishing Scam?
“Phishing schemes often use spoofing techniques to lure you in and get you to take the bait. These scams are designed to trick you into giving information to criminals that they shouldn’t have access to,” the FBI says.
The FBI revealed how to identify a phishing scam, saying users “might receive an email that appears to be from a legitimate business” and asks said user to update or verify their personal information by replying to the email or visiting a website.
“But once you click on that link, you’re sent to a spoofed website that might look nearly identical to the real thing—like your bank or credit card site—and asked to enter sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, banking PINs, etc. These fake websites are used solely to steal your information,” the FBI warned.
A New Phishing Scam Uses Amazon to Fool Cell Phone Users
Late last month the Federal Trade Commission issued a new warning to cell phone users revealing scammers are pretending to be Amazon by sending text messages claiming there’s a problem with an item they bought with a refund link attached.
“You get an unexpected text that looks like it’s from Amazon. It claims the company did a ‘routine quality inspection’ and an item you recently bought doesn’t meet Amazon’s standards or has been recalled,” the FTC said, explaining the new phishing attack. “The text offers you a full refund and says you don’t need to return the item — as long as you click a link to request your money back. But there is no refund. Instead, it’s a phishing scam to steal your money or personal information.”
How to Avoid the Scam
The FTC offered a number of different ways to help avoid the scam or what to do if you’ve received such a text.
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Don’t click links in unexpected texts — and don’t respond to them. If you think the message could be legit, contact the company using a phone number, email, or website you know is real — not the info from the text.
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Check your Amazon account. If you’re worried, log in through the Amazon website or app — don’t use the link in the text — to see if there’s a problem with or recall on anything you’ve ordered.
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Send unwanted texts to 7726 (SPAM) or use your phone’s “report junk” option. Once you’ve reported it, delete the message.
Related: Southwest Airlines Announces Change on All Flights Starting August 13
FTC Issues New Warning for All Cell Phone Users first appeared on Men’s Journal on Aug 7, 2025
