Amazon users urged to check their account after customers report being hacked - how to keep yours safe

Make sure your account is safe (Photo: Shutterstock)Make sure your account is safe (Photo: Shutterstock)
Make sure your account is safe (Photo: Shutterstock)

With Christmas around the corner, many of us rely on online services such as Amazon to get our Christmas shopping done.

However, some account holders are reporting being hacked - these are the signs to look out for and how to keep your account safe.

Accounts getting hacked

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Amazon account holders have reported instances of their accounts being hacked, with someone using their money to place orders.

One Twitter user wrote: “My Amazon account was hacked and vouchers purchased for £75 each, totaling £750.”

Another tweeted: “People out there posting list through Amazon be careful. Someone hacked my Amazon account and ordered a credit card through the list I posted here on Twitter.”

“Can’t believe my Amazon Prime account was hacked, check your bank accounts!” warned another on the social media platform.

What to do if you’ve been hacked

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If you’ve spotted orders made on your account that you didn’t authorised, then your account and your details might be in danger.

The first thing you should do is contact the site directly on 0800 279 7234 and report it immediately.

The next step is changing your passport - make it something completely different and difficult to crack, with a combination of letters and numbers.

Report the incident to your bank as well so that they are made aware of any fraudulent transactions on your account. Say that you want to dispute the transaction rather than just reporting it as fraud.

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If it was your debit card that was used to make the purchase, you can ask the bank to refund the money using chargeback rules. There is a limited time frame to make this claim, so make sure you’re within the window of 120 days from when the payment was made.

If it was your credit card, ask for a refund under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

This article originally appeared on our sister site Edinburgh Evening News