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Scam texts · October 26, 2026 · By Robert

Amazon refund text scam: how to tell it's fake, and the real Prime refunds

If a text says Amazon owes you a refund and gives you a link to claim it, treat it as the Amazon refund text scam. Don't tap it. Amazon really is paying Prime refunds right now, but those need no action from you: no claim, no form, no link. That one fact sorts almost every one of these texts.

Scam or safe? The Amazon refund text scam in 26 seconds. Illustrative scenario.

What the Amazon refund text scam looks like

The FTC described the script in a consumer alert. The text looks like it's from Amazon. It says a "routine quality inspection" found that something you bought failed Amazon's standards or was recalled. You'll get a full refund, and you don't even have to send the item back. You just have to tap the link.

There's no refund. The FTC says the link is phishing, built to take your money or your personal information. A refund for nothing, with nothing to return, is the bait.

Illustration of an Amazon refund text scam: a text message with a gift tag on a fishing hook
Illustration created with AI.

Why the fake Amazon refund texts work right now

Because real refunds are going out. Under its settlement with the FTC, Amazon has to pay $1.5 billion in refunds of Prime fees to customers who were signed up or kept in Prime through what the FTC calls challenged flows between June 2019 and June 2025. Per the FTC's refund page (updated September 2026):

So a text that asks you to tap, log in, confirm a card or pay a fee to get "your Amazon refund" is fake, even if you really are owed one.

5 signs a refund text from "Amazon" is fake

  1. It has a link to claim money. Real Prime refunds arrive without a claim.
  2. The refund doesn't require a return. "Keep the item" is the hook the FTC flagged.
  3. It asks for a password, a one-time code or card details. Amazon says it will never ask for your password or one-time passcode over the phone, and never asks for payment by phone or email.
  4. It mentions an order you can't find. If it isn't in Your Orders in the app, it isn't real.
  5. It pushes you to act fast. Real refund checks don't need you to tap before midnight.

What to do if you got the text

  1. Don't tap the link and don't reply. Replying tells the sender your number works.
  2. Check Amazon yourself. Open the Amazon app or type amazon.com, then look at Your Orders. Real recalls and refunds show up there.
  3. Ask Amazon to verify it. Since September 2026 you can forward a suspicious message to verify@amazon.com, or ask Alexa for Shopping, and get back confirmed, not from Amazon, or unable to verify (Amazon's announcement).
  4. Report it. Forward the text to 7726 (it spells SPAM) or use your phone's Report Junk option, then delete it. Report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov too.

Text scams aren't small. People reported losing $470 million to text scams in 2024, more than five times the 2020 number, according to the FTC's Data Spotlight.

Already tapped it? Do this now

Tapping alone usually isn't the damage. What you typed in afterward is. If you entered your Amazon password, change it from the app and turn on two-step verification. If you entered a card number, call the number on the back of the card and ask for a new one. If you gave out your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a step-by-step recovery plan.

How did scammers get my number?

Usually from people-search and data-broker sites that list phone numbers next to names and addresses. On our own Cloaked account, 1,363 of the 14,636 exposures it has secured since June 2025 were phone numbers. That's the list scam texters buy from.

Our Cloaked screen showing exposures secured by type, including 1,363 phone numbers
Our real Cloaked screen.

Getting your number off those sites won't stop every scam text, and we haven't measured the effect on texts. It does shrink the lists your number lands on. You can do it free, one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. We pay for Cloaked; here's what it did on our account.

Want to see where your phone number is listed? Cloaked has a free exposure scan before you pay anything.

Run Cloaked's free scan →

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Common questions about the Amazon refund text scam

Is Amazon sending refund texts?

Amazon's real Prime settlement refunds need no action from you, so a text asking you to tap a link to claim one is the warning sign. If you're unsure, open the Amazon app yourself and check Your Orders, or forward the message to verify@amazon.com.

Is the Amazon Prime refund real?

Yes. Under its FTC settlement, Amazon is paying refunds of Prime fees to eligible customers, up to $200 total, by check, PayPal or Venmo, through April 2027. You don't file a claim, and the FTC says it is not contacting anyone about these refunds.

What happens if I click the link in an Amazon refund text?

The FTC says the link leads to a phishing site built to steal your money or personal information. If you typed in a password or card number, change the password, turn on two-step verification and call your bank right away.

How do I report an Amazon scam text?

Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) or use your phone's Report Junk option, then delete it. You can also report it to Amazon's scam reporting page and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Related: How to stop spam calls on Android · How to stop spam calls on iPhone

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