Amazon has issued a security alert to customers worldwide ahead of the peak 2025 holiday shopping season.  

The company is warning of an increasing number of scams in which criminals impersonate Amazon to steal personal and financial information. 

In an email to Forbes, the retail giant stated that attackers are targeting its estimated 310 million active users by imitating Amazon across email, text, phone calls, browser notifications and other online platforms, attempting to obtain sensitive information or gain access to customer accounts. 

The warning follows research indicating that fraudsters are exploiting browser-based notifications and the Matrix Push messaging platform to mimic well-known consumer brands, including Amazon, Netflix and PayPal. 

Amazon warned customers to watch for several red flags: fake alerts about deliveries or account issues, social media ads from third parties pushing huge discounts, and any messages from unofficial channels asking for payment or login details.  

It also advised against clicking unknown links or engaging with unsolicited calls that claim to offer technical support. 

Users are advised to handle customer service queries, account changes, order tracking and refunds only through Amazon’s official website or mobile app, and to activate two-factor authentication or passkeys where available. 

The report referenced by Forbes describes the warning as well-timed, having identified “more than 18,000 holiday-themed domains” registered in the last three months, of which “at least 750 were confirmed malicious”.  

It also recorded more than 19,000 new domains spoofing major retailers, of which 2,900 were confirmed as malicious Such spoofs often rely on minor alterations to brand names that can be hard for consumers to spot. 

Amazon states that such schemes are continually shifting and is calling for extra caution during the 2025 Black Friday and holiday sales period. 

In November 2025, Amazon introduced Amazon Bazaar as a standalone mobile app in 14 new markets, expanding access to its ultra low-cost retail offering.  

The app is accessible to customers in Argentina, Bahrain, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar and Taiwan, and a broader roll-out is planned. 

The Amazon Bazaar platform features goods across fashion, home and lifestyle categories.