As Amazon Freedom Sale 2024 approaches, be wary of delivery scams

Amazon’s Great Freedom Festival sale that begins on August 6 at noon, or from midnight for Prime members, will see Indian users filling up their digital shopping carts with everything from brand name goods to common household items, in order to make the most of discounts.

However, large sales events pose a ripe opportunity for scammers and hackers, who will try to dupe those who are not confident with online shopping or transactions. In other cases, the scam could be perpetrated by a vendor or delivery partner who is holding your product. Others may exploit coupons, exchange offers, cash-on-delivery options, or at-home installation processes.

For example: Mukund P. Unny, Advocate on Record, Supreme Court, who posts on X as @eminentjurist, claimed that when he was buying Apple’s iPhone 15 and exchanging his iPhone 13 in late July, the delivery person demanded a second OTP. They then allegedly asked for the product back, claiming that the exchange had not been finalised and that the phone would be re-delivered. He also received a call from another individual asking him to show up at an unfamiliar location to hand over his old device for the exchange to take place, Mr. Unny said. Though Amazon was initially uncooperative, it later agreed to a refund, he shared.

As customers buy high-value items during sales and offer periods, they should be wary of not just platform-based cyber scams, but also offline delivery scams. Remember that not everyone who delivers your product may be an Amazon employee, so the burden of carrying out due diligence often falls to the customer.

One good practice when buying high-value goods is to take down the details of the delivery person and the handover date/time, preferably in the form of an official receipt. Make sure the delivery takes place in the assigned location; do not agree to meet your delivery partner elsewhere.

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In case of gadgets that require specialised set-up or installation (such as TVs and refrigerators) call either a professional whom you trust or opt for Amazon’s official installation service at the time of ordering. A delivery person is usually not the professional who will set up the product for you, so be wary of a delivery person who insists on entering your home to hand over the item.

It is recommended to have someone else in your home for support when the designated installation professional or their crew comes to set up the product. Do not allow the installation team to take away your device under the pretext of damages or replacement. In case any returns are necessary, hand over your product only to a designated pick-up partner sent by Amazon after you raise a request.

Finally, never pay bribes or unspecified fees in order to have your item delivered. If a delivery person is refusing to hand over your product or demands a bribe, send a formal complaint to Amazon. Do not take phone calls through your delivery partner’s device, and never entertain random calls with so-called supervisors or unseen customer care professionals, as these may be scammers impersonating real Amazon employees. Instead, reach out to Amazon’s customer service through the website or app, and speak only with their representatives.

Keeping these points in mind, you can make the most of the e-commerce platform’s sales and festivals while also maintaining your security.

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