Can I please alert readers to a new scam that makes maximum use of Amazon's own systems and some nifty social engineering.
The scammer will list an item at a knockdown price (yes, I know, if it is too good to be a bargain then it isn't) but they will flag it up using Amazon's own systems as non-deliverable to any address. Or flag it up incorrectly so that it behaves as a prohibited item and so triggers Amazon's non-delivery criteria. End result is that when the buyer tries to complete the transaction, Amazon's systems tells the buyer that the item is 'Non-deliverable to that address'.
Buyer is now very confused. In my case an Apple Macbook (anyone have an old one for sale?) is not a prohibited item. I do not live in a prohibited country. Casting around on Amazon's site as to why this non-deliverable message has occurred leads one to tear ones remaining hair out. You look in vain for an email address to contact the seller and eventually find one. You also contact Amazon Customer Service via Chat ....to be given standard and utterly useless boilerplate about prohibited items and prohibited countries....(do they actually train their staff to use their brains or read what customers have written?). Amazon then suggest that you contact the seller. The trap is now set.
You then get a reply via email from the seller saying that said item is still for sale, that there has been a mix-up and asking you for your address so they can take it up with Amazon. A brilliant bit of social engineering as you are already primed to give that information since it was the address in the first place that gave the 'Non-deliverable' problem. You give them your address.
A couple of hours later you get an official email from Amazon detailing everything including your correct address and asking for payment etc. This HTML looks perfect. It even has hyperlinks on it to YOUR basket which in itself is pretty scary...how has the scammer got your details to do that? And if you weren't switched on, you'd go ahead and send that money to them via Moneygram transfer.
So be careful.
The scammer will list an item at a knockdown price (yes, I know, if it is too good to be a bargain then it isn't) but they will flag it up using Amazon's own systems as non-deliverable to any address. Or flag it up incorrectly so that it behaves as a prohibited item and so triggers Amazon's non-delivery criteria. End result is that when the buyer tries to complete the transaction, Amazon's systems tells the buyer that the item is 'Non-deliverable to that address'.
Buyer is now very confused. In my case an Apple Macbook (anyone have an old one for sale?) is not a prohibited item. I do not live in a prohibited country. Casting around on Amazon's site as to why this non-deliverable message has occurred leads one to tear ones remaining hair out. You look in vain for an email address to contact the seller and eventually find one. You also contact Amazon Customer Service via Chat ....to be given standard and utterly useless boilerplate about prohibited items and prohibited countries....(do they actually train their staff to use their brains or read what customers have written?). Amazon then suggest that you contact the seller. The trap is now set.
You then get a reply via email from the seller saying that said item is still for sale, that there has been a mix-up and asking you for your address so they can take it up with Amazon. A brilliant bit of social engineering as you are already primed to give that information since it was the address in the first place that gave the 'Non-deliverable' problem. You give them your address.
A couple of hours later you get an official email from Amazon detailing everything including your correct address and asking for payment etc. This HTML looks perfect. It even has hyperlinks on it to YOUR basket which in itself is pretty scary...how has the scammer got your details to do that? And if you weren't switched on, you'd go ahead and send that money to them via Moneygram transfer.
So be careful.