
Over the past few months, we've seen a wave of sophisticated phishing attacks targeting our local community. These scams rely on tricking victims into clicking links inside PDF documents—either attached directly to emails or hosted on services like Dropbox and Zoho.
What makes this latest one targeting Amazon Prime users particularly dangerous is that Prime is so widely used, and the attackers are highly skilled at making their scams look legitimate. Here’s what you need to know:
The bait is an email claiming that your Amazon Prime membership is expiring.
The attached PDF leads to phishing websites designed to steal your Amazon login credentials and credit card details.
Attackers use a complex redirection process involving multiple URLs before landing victims on the fraudulent site.
Since June 2024, cybercriminals have registered over 1,000 fake domain names impersonating Amazon to make the scam more convincing.
The Takeaway
The real danger here is that PDFs can slip past security filters, relying on human error rather than technical vulnerabilities. Many victims open these files on their smartphones, where it's harder to preview content before clicking. Don't do that!
The best way to protect yourself is simple: never open unexpected PDF attachments, no matter who they appear to be from. If you're unsure, contact the sender through official channels to verify. Amazon is actively working to take down these fraudulent sites, but it’s an endless game of whack-a-mole—new ones pop up just as fast. Large-scale brand impersonation scams like this are rare, but when they happen, they can be devastating.
If you or someone you know has been targeted, report it to Amazon at amazon.com/reportascam. Amazon investigates these scams and works with law enforcement to shut them down. Stay vigilant, stay informed, and share this with anyone who might need to know. Awareness is your best defense.
Stay safe out there. -Attila
P.S. The Riskara 360 Employee Security Risk Assessment is designed to evaluate your company’s strength in four key areas:
1) Awareness – How well do your employees understand cybersecurity risks and practices in the workplace?
2) Behaviors – What security-conscious actions are employees consistently taking in their day-to-day work?
3) Habits – Which security practices have become automatic and ingrained through repeated behaviors?
4) Resilience – When awareness, behaviors, and habits are combined with company policies, they reveal how prepared your organization is to withstand theft, cybercrime, and disaster.
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New Friday Funnies
I saw a book on Amazon, “How to reduce your life’s problems by 50%.”
Naturally I ordered two copies.
Why do Amazon Prime drivers make terrible comedians?
Because their delivery takes two days.
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