Why That Amazon Recall Text Is Almost Certainly a Scam
"Your recent Amazon purchase has been recalled. Tap here to claim a refund." Texts like that one are making the rounds this spring, and they're scams. Amazon doesn't send recall notices by text, and the link opens a fake login page built to steal your password.
The texts copy Amazon's tone and often include what looks like a real order number, which gives them enough authenticity to slip past a quick read. They're aimed at safety-minded shoppers and parents who want to hear about recalls when they're real.
Click on the link and you land on a page that looks like Amazon's sign-in screen. Once you enter your password, the scammers can take over your account and run up charges on your saved payment cards.
How to tell a real recall from a fake
Amazon doesn't send recall notices by text. Real notifications come by email, push notification through the Amazon app, and the "Your Recalls and Product Safety Alerts" section inside your account. Anything claiming to be a recall over SMS is a scam.
Check the recall directly in your Amazon account. Open the Amazon app or type amazon.com into your browser. Skip the texted link entirely, since scammers can make their landing page resemble Amazon's down to the layout.
Verify any recall claim at the Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall database. It's the official searchable list of every consumer product recall in the U.S.
Look at the link before tapping. Real Amazon links sit on the amazon.com domain. URLs with extra hyphens, unusual endings like .xyz or .click, or addresses that put "amazon" anywhere other than the main domain are red flags.
Treat urgency as a warning sign. Scam texts pressure you to act within hours or claim a refund before a deadline. Real recalls give you time to follow up at your own pace.
Amazon will never ask for your password, payment information, or ask you to read back a verification code you've received. A request for any of those is a scam, full stop.
Ask Alexa for Shopping inside the Amazon app. Amazon's AI assistant (formerly Rufus) can confirm whether a real recall exists for any order you've placed.
What to do if you clicked
Lock your Amazon account immediately. Open the Amazon app or amazon.com directly, change your password, and turn on two-step verification in your security settings. Use a password that doesn't appear on any other account you own.
Comb through your Amazon order history and the archived orders section. Cancel anything you didn't place that hasn't shipped, and report shipped orders as unauthorized through Amazon's customer service.
Reach out to your bank and any card issuer tied to your Amazon account if payment details were on the fake page. Have them lock the cards, send replacements, and dispute any charges that have already cleared.
Report the scam to Amazon at amazon.com/ReportAScam. Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can block similar messages, and report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Open an identity theft case at IdentityTheft.gov if you handed over personal information beyond your Amazon login. The site walks you through recovery and produces the official report banks and credit bureaus often want to see.
Freeze your credit at Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. A freeze keeps anyone from opening accounts in your name while it's active, and you can lift it online when you need to.
Run a scan with mobile security software if your phone has been acting up since the click. Look for apps you didn't install and remove anything unfamiliar.
How to tell a real recall from a fake
Amazon doesn't send recall notices by text. Real notifications come by email, push notification through the Amazon app, and the "Your Recalls and Product Safety Alerts" section inside your account. Anything claiming to be a recall over SMS is a scam.
Check the recall directly in your Amazon account. Open the Amazon app or type amazon.com into your browser. Skip the texted link entirely, since scammers can make their landing page resemble Amazon's down to the layout.
Verify any recall claim at the Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall database. It's the official searchable list of every consumer product recall in the U.S.
Look at the link before tapping. Real Amazon links sit on the amazon.com domain. URLs with extra hyphens, unusual endings like .xyz or .click, or addresses that put "amazon" anywhere other than the main domain are red flags.
Treat urgency as a warning sign. Scam texts pressure you to act within hours or claim a refund before a deadline. Real recalls give you time to follow up at your own pace.
Amazon will never ask for your password, payment information, or ask you to read back a verification code you've received. A request for any of those is a scam, full stop.
Ask Alexa for Shopping inside the Amazon app. Amazon's AI assistant (formerly Rufus) can confirm whether a real recall exists for any order you've placed.
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