Scam Call of the Week: Amazon Alexa Business Verification

Scam calls have become an unfortunate reality of modern communication, infiltrating our phones with deceptive messages designed to trick us into revealing personal information or making fraudulent payments. These calls often pose as legitimate entities, such as banks, government agencies, or well-known companies, and use convincing tactics to exploit our trust and fears. Educating yourself about the latest scams is the first step in protecting your personal and business information. This week, we’re uncovering a new deceptive tactic that exploits the trusted name of Amazon Alexa.

This scam specifically targets business owners, using the guise of verifying business information across major voice platforms like Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri. With a high fraud score of 80%, this scam has already affected thousands, causing unnecessary stress and potential data breaches. Read on to learn how this scam operates and how you can protect yourself and your business from falling prey to these malicious calls.

In this article, we cover:

• The details of the Amazon Alexa Business Verification Scam Call
• Why the Amazon Alexa Business Verification Scam Call is dangerous
• How to protect yourself from the Amazon Alexa Business Verification Scam Call

The details of the Amazon Alexa Business Verification Scam Call

The Amazon Alexa Business Verification scam call is a new deceptive tactic targeting business owners. Scammers use the pretext of verifying business information for visibility on major platforms like Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri. They claim that immediate verification is necessary to maintain a business’s online presence, exploiting owners’ fears of losing customer interactions and leads. The scam, which has a high fraud score of 80%, primarily affects business owners in Texas, Georgia, California, Florida, and New York. With an estimated 572,460 calls made weekly, these scammers are aggressively attempting to deceive business owners into divulging sensitive information.

Actual audio of the Amazon Alexa Business Verification Scam Call

“Hey this is Marcus with the voice activation department we noticed that your business isn’t displaying on Amazon, Alexa, Apple or Siri. We need to verify your business information and you should be all set. Are you the owner of the company by any chance? Hello….”

Why the Amazon Alexa Business Verification Scam Call is dangerous

The Amazon Alexa Business Verification scam call is particularly dangerous because it exploits the trust and urgency that business owners have in maintaining their online presence. By posing as representatives needing immediate verification of business information for platforms like Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri, scammers create a sense of urgency and fear that businesses might lose potential customers and leads. This tactic increases the likelihood that business owners will divulge sensitive information without proper verification, potentially leading to identity theft, financial loss, and compromised business security. The high volume of calls and the convincing nature of the scam further amplify the risk, making it a significant threat to businesses across the country.

How the scammers got your number

Scammers usually get your information from data brokers who sell it for various reasons. The sad truth is, anyone can buy your data, and potentially use it not only to call or text you, but also to steal your identity. It’s really important to have your data available in as few places as possible.

The good news is it is possible to find out where your phone number, address, or other personal info is exposed – in seconds. This way you can remove your personal information from data broker sites, reducing the likelihood of you falling victim to fraud, so you can take control of your privacy.

How to protect yourself from the Amazon Alexa Business Verification Scam Call

To protect yourself from the Amazon Alexa Business Verification scam call, it’s crucial to remain vigilant and skeptical of unsolicited calls requesting sensitive information. Always verify the legitimacy of the call by contacting the company directly through official channels. You can also do a reverse phone number to search to see if there is anything reported on the number they are using.

Be sure to avoid providing any personal or business information over the phone unless you are certain of the caller’s identity. Additionally, use call-blocking and spam-filtering features available on your phone and through services like YouMail to reduce the risk of receiving scam calls. Report any suspicious calls to relevant authorities and inform your employees about these scams to ensure everyone in your organization is aware and prepared. By staying informed and cautious, you can effectively shield your business from these malicious schemes.

Find out more about Fraudulent Scams Exploiting Popular Brands at the YouMail Robocall Scam Guide.

To protect yourself from the Amazon Alexa Business Verification Scam Call, download YouMail today.