Prime Day is 7/16 & 7/17 so don’t miss out on squeezing everything you can out of Bezos.
Fake Prime Day sites, emails and calls spreading
Amazon’s fall Prime Big Deal Days sale is next week on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9. Yes, I’ll be sharing all the best deals. But the most important thing I want you to know is that scammers are hard at work creating lookalike sites and emails to trick you while you’ve got your credit card out.
Gone are the days of crappy rip-offs. Today’s crooks create fake websites that look just like the ones they’re imitating. Don’t worry, I’ve got your back, and I’m here to help you spot the scams and shop safely.
Carbon copy
Over the last 30 days, Check Point Research has discovered more than 1,000 newly registered Amazon-related domains — and 88% of them are malicious or suspicious.
One out of every 54 of the new domains includes the phrase “Amazon Prime,” because they want your search to lead right to them.
- Examples: Domain names ending with .com, like “amazonprimemotels,” “amazonprimeresort” and “amazonprimeresorts.”
Many of these domains are “parked,” meaning they’re not in use — yet. Scammers like to get their ducks in a row and create sites that are ready to go live when it’s Prime (Day) time.
As for those sites that already have content up, most look and feel close enough to the real deal to catch the attention of unsuspecting shoppers browsing quickly. More than anything, scammers bank on you seeing the Amazon name and logo.
Calls and emails work, too
Check Point found more than 100 different Prime-focused scam email campaigns. Many impersonate Amazon Financial Services, asking you to update your payment details or other personal information.
They might look something like this:
CheckPoint.com
It’s a deal today
Yep, I’m still scouring the early Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sales. Hit this link if you want to see ‘em all.
- Kasa smart light switches for less than $13, dang.
- Gift yourself a snazzy, new iPad for under $200.
- The Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet is only $60!
- Ring video doorbells have HD video and are easy to install. Plus, right now, they’re as cheap as they get, at $60.
- Electric lighters are the best. Only $7? Heck, yeah! I’m never going back to one that takes lighter fluid.
- Pillow slippers are so comfy around the house and 43% off now.
- A stone bath mat absorbs water without getting slippery. Uh, 90% off? Now’s the time.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Looking for something to watch? FlixPatrol has a daily top 10 chart of what’s trending. If you’re in the mood for something specific, use JustWatch to find exactly where a movie or TV show is streaming. It’s so much easier than opening and searching Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video … You get the idea.
Amazon Prime vs. Walmart+
Did you know Walmart has its own membership program similar to Amazon Prime? It’s called Walmart Plus, and it costs $98 a year. Let’s break down the features so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.
Suddenly, I’m not hungry: Want unlimited grocery delivery from Amazon? That’ll be $99, in addition to the $139 annual charge for Amazon Prime. It works on orders over $35 from Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods and select retailers on Amazon.com. I’ll stick with Instacart.
How many minutes of ads are shown per hour of traditional TV? Is it … A.) 8 minutes, B.) 10 minutes, C.) 12 minutes or D.) 14 minutes?
10 cents off
Per gallon of gas for being an Amazon Prime member. Here’s how: Sign up for a free Earnify account, link it to your Prime membership at amazon.com/fuelsavings and boom — discount unlocked. Now, when you visit over 7,000 BP gas stations, just enter your phone number or use the Earnify app to save while you fill up.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
💯 OK, that’s a bargain
The early Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sales continue! To score these deals, you’ll need a Prime membership. Use this link for a 30-day free trial.
- Mesh routers are the answer for larger homes with dead zones. The latest eero model is 36% off.
- Treat yourself to a cozy new blanket to welcome fall. Tons of sizes and colors — and 58% off. Some colors of the throw version are under $9!
- Always wanted a nice robo vac? The iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO is 32% off.
- Gals, these leggings look and feel just like Lululemons for a fraction of the price.
- These are the screen protectors I use on my iPhone. At the top, use the menu to choose your model. Sweet.
- A fan-favorite set of rustproof shower caddies, 76% off right now!
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Student in the family? A student Amazon Prime account is a heck of a lot cheaper than the regular price. Students get six months free, and then it’s half off a year ($69).
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Global tech outage wreaks havoc
A software update by CrowdStrike took down tons of computer systems around the world. Banks, businesses, hospitals, and more were all impacted. Plus, Amazon Prime Day updates and Zoom’s demand for a return to the office.
$14.2 billion
Total Amazon Prime Day 2024 sales across both days. This year’s sales beat those in 2023 by 11% … and almost beat the national GDP of the Bahamas. Top product categories? Electronics and back-to-school gear. That’s a lot of erasers.
Guide to Amazon Prime Day: Returns and what to expect
Prime Day is coming up on July 16th and 17th, but there’s a catch for frequent returners. Amazon is cracking down and it might affect your shopping spree.
No, getting low-cost streaming content isn’t legit: Five guys behind Jetflicks, one of the largest illegal streaming services in the U.S., got busted. They charged $9.99 a month for more content than Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and Amazon Prime Video combined. They could face years in prison for the millions they raked in from subscriptions. If you subscribed to it, you might be fined for copyright violations, too.
Need a new book? If you have Amazon Prime, grab two free e-books from their monthly First Reads selections. It’s early access to popular new books. Sweet!
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
This is so fly: Amazon Prime Air’s delivery drones have received Beyond Visual Line of Sight clearance to go nationwide in 2025. Pilots can operate them remotely, and drones can legally travel farther. Hopefully, this doesn’t turn into people skeet-shooting for “prizes.”
Share Amazon Prime (and the bill) with someone you live with: Go to your Amazon account settings. Click the Amazon Household option. That’s where you can add another person and share your Prime benefits with them.
🆓 Free magazines: With an Amazon Prime account, you can access a rotating library of popular magazines free for 30 days. Check them out here. Titles include Wired, Popular Science, Reader’s Digest and Taste of Home. Score.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Amazon Prime perks you might not know about
Are you using the most of your membership? Don’t miss out on these great benefits.
Ad-ception: Next time you open Amazon Prime Video, brace yourself for ads when you hit pause — even when you’re already watching a commercial. These “shoppable carousels” show up as a sliding lineup of products. You can turn them off … for an extra $3 per month. Jeff Bezos needs the money.