HACKERS AND SCAMMERS AND RAIDERS OH MY!

Updated November 26 with a startling new warning from the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding account takeover attacks using brand impersonation methods; details of a new report confirming the seasonal dangers, alongside the original Amazon alert that all 300 million users need to be aware of, as hackers and scammers continue their attacks.

There’s no escaping the annual Black Friday sales, which seem to last longer every year. Equally, there’s no escaping that Amazon is the top dog in both the event itself and as a target for cybercriminals. With an estimated 310 million active users in 2025, Amazon has always been a prime quarry for scammers, hackers and other highly-targeted cybercrime activity. Now the online retail giant has issued a stark warning that every customer must take seriously as attackers strike. Here’s what you need to know and do.

Hot on the heels of a new report that confirmed cybercriminals are targeting big brands, including Netflix and PayPal, using an impersonation process involving browser notifications and the Matrix Push criminal platform, Amazon has now sent me a warning email, but all 300 million users should take note and stay alert for impersonation scammers. These cybercriminals are targeting Amazon users by reaching out to try and get “access to sensitive information like personal or financial information, or Amazon account details," Amazon said in a November 24 email. Of course, such attacks are not uncommon, nor are they new, but they do evolve, and warnings such as this from Amazon serve as a timely reminder to be particularly alert at this time of year.