Website claiming to offer £2 Amazon packages is fake

A Facebook post is advertising a fake offer from Amazon, claiming that the company is “giving away unclaimed electronics to the British” for £2.

The post continues: “Every year, a large number of undelivered parcels accumulate in our warehouses. Instead of throwing them away, Amazon donates them.

“One parcel can contain an iPhone, PlayStation, TV, microwave, and many other useful electronics.

“Enter the delivery address and receive your parcel within 2 days.”

The post features an image showing a man standing with a pile of Amazon boxes taken from the thumbnail of a YouTube video, with a £2 sign edited into the original image. Comments have also been left on the post from users who claim to have received a package through the offer.

It also includes a link to a website which prompts users to complete a survey and play a game to win a parcel. Users are then redirected to a different website, where they’re asked to enter their personal information.

An Amazon spokesperson confirmed to Full Fact that the website linked to in the Facebook post is not an Amazon website.

They added: “We would advise consumers to avoid entering payment information into websites that you are not familiar with. Amazon will not ask for payment over the phone or email—only in our mobile app, on our website, or in one of our physical stores. We will not call and ask you to make a payment or bank transfer on another website.”

There are a number of clues that this isn’t a genuine Amazon offer. Firstly, the URLs of the websites are different to the one used by Amazon in the UK (amazon.co.uk). Secondly, while the websites have a banner at the top like that seen on the real Amazon UK website, users are unable to use the search bar or any of the links.

We’ve written previously about similar fake Amazon offers advertised on Facebook, as well as other fake promotions, like free televisions from Tesco.

Image courtesy of ANIRUDH