A Howell resident recently lost $35,000 after falling victim to a highly sophisticated Amazon phone scam, according to local police.
The scam involved someone pretending to be from Amazon’s fraud department and convincing the victim to transfer money to fix a supposed account issue.
According to Howell Township Police, the resident received a phone call from someone claiming to be from Amazon.
The caller said there were suspicious activities on the victim’s Amazon account and that their personal information might be at risk. The scammer sounded professional and even gave a fake badge number to make the call sound more official.
The caller then asked the victim to stay on the line and told them to follow some instructions to “protect” their account.
The victim was directed to withdraw large sums of cash from their bank and deposit the money into a cryptocurrency ATM. The scammer claimed this was a safe and temporary step to keep the money away from hackers. Over several transactions, the Howell resident ended up losing $35,000.
What made this scam particularly convincing was how calm, confident, and detailed the fake Amazon representative sounded.
The scammer warned the victim not to talk to anyone about the transactions and insisted this was part of an ongoing investigation. This tactic isolated the victim and made it harder for them to realize they were being scammed.
Police said these types of scams are becoming more common, and fraudsters are using new techniques to trick people. They often pretend to be from well-known companies like Amazon, Microsoft, or even banks.
The caller usually pressures the victim by saying their account is under threat, that they need to act fast, and that this is the only way to protect their money or data.
In this case, once the victim realized they had been scammed, they immediately contacted the Howell Township Police Department.
Authorities have started an investigation, but recovering the stolen funds is usually very difficult in these types of scams, especially when cryptocurrency is involved.
The police are now urging everyone to be cautious when receiving unexpected phone calls from people claiming to be from Amazon or any other company. They have shared a few key safety tips for the public:
- Never give out personal or banking information to someone you didn’t call yourself.
- Amazon will never ask you to send money through gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers.
- If you’re unsure about a call, hang up and contact the company directly using the official number on their website.
- Always take your time—scammers want you to act quickly so you don’t have time to think.
- Talk to a family member or friend before making any payments under pressure.
Unfortunately, once money is sent through a crypto ATM or wire transfer, it’s almost impossible to trace or recover. That’s why it’s so important to stay alert and avoid giving in to pressure.
The Howell Police Department hopes that sharing this incident will raise awareness and prevent others from falling into similar traps. They encourage residents to report any suspicious calls or texts immediately.
To learn more about how to report scams or protect yourself from fraud, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s official fraud alert page or Amazon’s customer service scam awareness guide.
These scams can happen to anyone, especially when they seem urgent and official. Always double-check before sending money to anyone—and remember, no legitimate company will ever ask for payments in cryptocurrency or gift cards.