Bridlington Residents Urged to Beware of Amazon Impersonation Scams After £86,000 Theft Wave

Thursday 5th November 2026

By Bridlington Gold Radio Editor

People across Bridlington are being urged to stay alert after fraudsters posing as Amazon representatives stole more than £86,000 from victims in just nine days.

New figures from Report Fraud reveal that criminals claiming to be from Amazon stole £86,837 between October 5th and October 14th, 2026, averaging more than £9,600 a day.

The warning comes after Report Fraud identified a growing trend involving scammers contacting people unexpectedly and claiming suspicious activity has been detected on their Amazon account.

A total of 110 reports linked to Amazon impersonation scams were received during the nine-day period, with people aged between 50 and 79 accounting for around 60 per cent of those affected.

The fraud typically begins with a phone call from someone claiming to work for Amazon. Victims are told that unauthorised purchases have allegedly been added to their account basket, often with delivery addresses that are unfamiliar to them.

Scammers then attempt to create a sense of urgency, claiming that criminals are using the victim's bank details to buy items and that immediate action is needed to secure the account.

Victims are often instructed to:

• Share their screen through messaging platforms.
• Download money transfer applications.
• Provide copies of personal documents such as passports or driving licences.
• Install remote access software that allows criminals to take control of devices.
• Approve transactions supposedly designed to stop fraudulent gift card purchases.

In reality, these actions can allow criminals to gain access to bank accounts, steal personal information and transfer money without the victim's knowledge.

With more Bridlington residents regularly using online shopping services, authorities are urging people to be especially cautious when receiving unexpected calls, emails or messages about their accounts.

How to Protect Yourself

Report Fraud is reminding the public that genuine organisations, including Amazon, banks and the police, will never contact customers unexpectedly and ask them to transfer money, reveal financial details or hand over remote access to a computer or phone.

If you receive a call that doesn't feel right:

✅ Hang up immediately.

✅ Contact the organisation directly using contact details from its official website or app.

✅ If you need to contact your bank, call 159.

✅ Never rely on caller ID as proof of someone’s identity.

✅ Report suspicious scam calls by texting the word CALL followed by the telephone number to 7726.

Anyone who believes they have been a victim of fraud can report it online through Report Fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040.

As online shopping continues to grow, residents across Bridlington are being reminded that a healthy level of scepticism can be one of the best defences against increasingly sophisticated scammers.