Better Business Bureau warns of Amazon phone impostors

The Better Business Bureau of Northern Illinois is warning of a phone scam in which impostors claim to be calling from Amazon.

The scam involves a recorded phone messages claiming to be from Amazon for an assortment of issues, including account problems, fraudulent charges to Prime cards, lost or damaged packages, and unfulfilled orders for iPhone 10, according to a news release from the Better Business Bureau.

"No matter what the recording is, these scammers have the same goal: getting your personal information," Steve Bernas, president and CEO of BBB of Chicago and Northern Illinois said in the release. "The con artists will either outright ask for credit card and account log-in details. Or, they will request remote access to your computer under the guise of helping to solve the issue."

The callers are spoofing the phone numbers of legitimate organizations, including the Better Business Bureau, to gain credibility, the release said.

The Better Business Bureau offers the following advice.

• Be skeptical of email and unsolicited calls, noting that while Amazon does call customers it does not ask them to disclose sensitive personal information or to make payments outside of its website.

• Ignore unsolicited messages that ask for personal information, including tax ID numbers, bank account numbers or credit card information.

• Ignore calls urging immediate action, which are aimed at getting people to act before they think.

• Beware of requests to pay by wire transfer, prepaid debit card or Cash App.

• Report the suspicious calls or emails to Amazon so the company can investigate.