#Info - Beware of Fake Amazon Clearance Sale Scams Conning Shoppers

Written by: Thomas Orsolya

Amazon’s dominance as the premier online retailer makes their brand ripe for impersonator scams. Fraudsters are heavily promoting fake Amazon clearance sales on social media and bogus websites to deceive buyers. This guide will unpack how this scam ensnares victims and provide guidance to avoid or address being exploited.

Overview of the Elaborate Amazon Clearance Scam Bilking Shoppers

As the world’s largest online retailer, Amazon offers unmatched convenience for shopping virtually anything imaginable. But the company’s trusted standing also attracts elaborate clearance sale scams impersonating Amazon to deceive buyers.

Sophisticated fake Amazon websites engineered to convincingly replicate authentic Amazon down to the smallest branding details are being promoted through social media ads. They tout unrealistic limited-time markdowns up to 90% off merchandise to entice interest and traffic.

Common Clearance Scam Warning Signs:

• Extreme discounts up to 90% off that seem too good to be true

• Suspicious URLs that differ slightly from Amazon’s real website

• Poor grammar, spelling errors and unprofessional site text

• No working customer service phone number or physical addresses

Once lured onto these fake clearance domains instead of the real Amazon.com site itself, victims who place orders experience predictable letdown in the following ways:

1. No Order Fulfillment Whatsoever

The overwhelmingly most likely outcome is purchased items never end up shipping after payments clear. Despite completing seemingly legitimate checkouts, orders simply vanish without products delivered.

Operator behind these fake sale websites pocket submitted payments but never possess nor intend to ship anything ordered.

2. Low-Quality Fakes and Replicas Delivered

While less common, some unlucky scam victims do end up receiving physical shipments with products. However, the items turn out to be shoddy knockoffs made with inferior materials unlike what was displayed online.

For example, instead of authentic iPhone 13 devices at unbelievable discounts, used Android phones get sent. Or toy replicas get shipped made with hazardous plastics instead of genuine goods.

3. Used, Damaged and Tampered Goods

In rarer cases, victims of these clearance scams might receive the actual products ordered from Amazon’s inventory. But the items arrive showing clear signs of previous use, damage or tampering.

Clothing arrives stained or with defects. Device packaging appears opened then re-taped. Food packages are torn revealing product tinkering.

This further displays the deceptive nature of scam websites promoting clearance blowouts.

In addition to stealing money through undelivered purchases, users’ personal and financial data input during checkout also gets stolen to enable additional fraud like identity theft.

4. Checkout Forms Steal Financial/Personal Data

During checkout, the fake Amazon sites force users to input trove of sensitive personal and financial data including:

• Full names

• Home addresses

• Phone numbers

• Credit card numbers

• Security codes

• Expiration dates

This information flows directly to crooks instead of Amazon, enabling future fraud like identity theft.

5. Shoppers Get Scammed With No Orders, Fakes or Wrong Items

Soon after checkout, harsh reality sets in as customers learn they were hoodwinked by realizing:

• Purchases never ship after payments process

• Flimsy, poor quality fakes arrive instead of real products

• Used, damaged or clearly tampered goods show up

• Random wrong products are delivered not matching orders

Now scam victims are left empty handed lacking real products while fraudsters possess both the stolen money and sensitive personal data from submitted order forms

How to Spot Counterfeit Amazon Clearance Websites

While scam sites promote fantastical sales, their shoddy designs give away their fakery to watchful shoppers.

Scrutinize Site URLs

Fake domains barely differ from the real Amazon.com

PLUG URLs into domain lookup tools to check creation dates. Most are recently made in 2021-onward.

Inspect Logos and Branding

Copyrighted Amazon logos, fonts, and branding get utilized throughout scam pages. But examine details closer:

• Logo proportions may differ slightly

• Font spacing/sizes appear off

• Color codes don’t perfectly match

Sloppy editing exposes trademark theft.

Review Text Content and Grammar

Abundant English errors in product info and policies indicate foreign fraud rings.

Analyze Product Images

While displaying tantalizing clearance items, absurd product pairings reveal deceitful intentions:

• Winter jackets showcased on bikini models

• Mismatching goods like smartwatches and cement bags shown together

• Odd items like lobster bibs discounted 90%

Incoherent clearance assortments expose non-retailer scamming sites.

Spotting fake sites just requires observing these common red flags during online shopping.

How to Spot Amazon Clearance Scam Ads on Social Media

Bogus Amazon clearance promotions commonly get distributed on major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok using targeted ads. But familiarizing yourself with patterns these fraudulent ads follow makes them plainly identifiable.

Identifying Amazon Facebook Scam Ads

Facebook’s enormous user base allows clearance sale scam ads to reach millions daily in feeds. Watch for these giveaways:

• Sponsored Labels – Scam posts are marked “Sponsored” above content

• Suspicious Links – URLs use odd shorteners or route elsewhere

• Clickbait Wording – “Going out of business!” or “Just launched!”

• Comments Disabled – Blocked commentary prevents warnings

• Stock Images – Uses generic clearance photos instead of Amazon products

Cross-checking these signs makes spotting Amazon Facebook scams simpler.‌‌

Catching Amazon Instagram Scam Ads

Instagram con artists setup fake brand accounts and pay promoting their cons to unsuspecting Instagrammers.

• Follower Counts – High followers yet low engagement is a fake giveaway

• Linktrees Promoted – Urge clicking profile Linktree connections routing offsite

• Checkout Urgency – Captions pressure immediate purchases before sales end

Spotting sham Instagram remains easy once aware of usual approaches

Identifying Amazon TikTok Video Scam Ads

On TikTok, scam ads leverage the viral format reaching immense audiences rapidly. Signals include:

• Brand Impersonations – Accounts named “@amazonmegaclearance” or “@amazonbfdeals30”

• Stock Backgrounds – B-roll of warehouses instead of showing products

• Checkout Captions – Graphics display scam site URLs

• Comment Disabling – Questions get blocked

Despite high circulation, common scam ad patterns make identification of fake Amazon TikTok posts manageable.‌‌

Keep watching for these consistent red flags regardless of the social platform. Verify ad legitimacy carefully before clicking.‌‌‌‌

What To Do If You Get Scammed By a Fake Amazon Clearance Sale

If you unfortunately got deceived by a fake Amazon clearance promotion, take these steps immediately to help recover damages:

Report Fraudulent Charges: Call the credit card provider used on scam sites right away. Request fraudulent transaction reversals for any stolen money. Provide details around fake websites and failure to deliver ordered items.

Initiate Credit Reports Fraud Alert: Since personal data also got stolen, freeze credit reports at Equifax, Experian and Transunion. This blocks scammers from opening unauthorized accounts under your identity.

Monitor Accounts Activity: Watch financial account statements routinely for suspicious charges indicating potential identity theft. If anything seems amiss, immediately notify institutions to contain fraud.

Secure Accounts: Change passwords, enable two-factor authentication and avoid suspicious links to prevent future data loss enabling financial fraud.

Report Fake Websites: Submit details on scam websites encountered to the FBI’s IC3 Complaint Center and FTC’s reporting page to assist fraud fighting.

Warn Others: Share experiences about fake Amazon clearance ripoffs on social media using hashtags like #AmazonScam to prevent more innocent victims.

While being swindled by online shopping scams feels lousy, taking swift action helps restrict damages and prevents tricksters from deceiving additional buyers.