As Amazon Prime Day 2025 approaches, cybersecurity experts are sounding the alarm over a dramatic surge in malicious domain registrations designed to target unsuspecting shoppers. In the two months leading up to the highly anticipated sales event, researchers have identified more than 120,000 fake Amazon-related websites.
The Nature and Scale of the Threat
Security analysts report that these malicious domains are being deployed in a variety of scams. The majority are phishing sites that closely mimic Amazon’s official login and checkout pages, aiming to steal user credentials and sensitive personal information. According to NordVPN, approximately 92,000 of these domains are dedicated phishing sites. In addition, around 21,000 domains are hosting malware, attempting to infect users’ devices, while roughly 11,000 are set up to sell counterfeit or entirely fictitious products.
How These Scams Operate
Cybercriminals are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive consumers. One common method is typosquatting, where domains are registered with slight misspellings or variations of the Amazon name (such as amzon, amazonn, or aamaz0n). These lookalike sites often replicate Amazon’s branding and interface, making them difficult to distinguish from the legitimate website.
Phishing emails are another prevalent threat. Shoppers may receive messages that appear to be from Amazon, referencing account issues, order problems, or refund errors. These emails typically contain links to fraudulent login pages designed to harvest credentials. Some scams also involve fake order confirmations or shipping notifications, enticing victims to click malicious links or download infected attachments.
The use of generative AI has further increased the sophistication of these attacks. Fraudsters are now able to craft highly convincing phishing messages that are free of spelling errors and may even be personalized with real user data.
Examples of Malicious Domains
Security researchers have flagged thousands of suspicious domains, including:
- amazon-2025[.]top (Phishing login page)
- Amazon02atonline51[.]online (Phishing, targeting German users)
- amazon-onboarding[.]com (Phishing)
- amazon-billing[.]top (Phishing)
These examples illustrate the breadth and diversity of the current threat landscape.
Why Prime Day Is a Target
Prime Day generates massive online traffic, presenting an irresistible opportunity for cybercriminals. The limited-time nature of deals creates a sense of urgency, which can lead shoppers to act quickly and overlook warning signs.
How Shoppers Can Protect Themselves
To stay safe during Prime Day and similar online events, experts recommend the following precautions:
- Shop only on Amazon’s official website or app.
- Carefully inspect URLs for misspellings or unusual domain endings.
- Enable two-factor authentication on your Amazon account.
- Avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails; instead, navigate directly to Amazon’s website if you receive suspicious communications.
- Be wary of deals that appear too good to be true (even for Amazon Prime Day) or requests for sensitive information.
