LAWRENCE COUNTY, KY (WOWK) – The Lawrence County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of scam calls and emails that claim residents’ Amazon accounts have been “locked.”

According to the sheriff’s office, these calls and emails claiming issues with the person’s Amazon account ranging from alleged fraudulent charges on the person’s Amazon Prime card, a lost or damaged package or an unfulfilled order for an iPhone. Authorities say the calls often begin as an automated call.

Deputies say they have had several recent reports of residents receiving these messages. The LCSO says, according to the Better Business Bureau, these calls often come from what appears to be a local number, but that number has been spoofed to appear local to disguise the scammer’s phone number and make the call seem as though it is credible. The BBB has said its own phone numbers have even been spoofed for the scams.

According to law enforcement and the BBB, the scammers are attempting to get their target’s personal information. Scammers will ask the person for their credit card and account login information, or request remote access to the person’s computer to “resolve the issue,” deputies say.

The LCSO and BBB say there are ways for residents to look out for the scam, including being skeptical of and ignoring any unsolicited call or email. Authorities say while some of Amazon’s departments do call customers, they will never ask the customer to disclose or verify any sensitive personal information, ask for remote access to the customer’s devices, offer an unexpected refund or ask for payments outside of their website. Some of the personal information scammers may ask for includes, but is not limited to, the person’s bank account number, credit card number, or tax ID. The BBB says the scammers may also ask the person to use prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, CashApp or similar apps to make a payment.

Anyone who receives a call allegedly requiring immediate action should ignore the call, according to the LCSO. The BBB says creating a false sense of urgency is a tactic scammers use to get the person they are trying to scam to act before they think.

The BBB says anyone who receives questionable calls or emails alleging to be an Amazon employee should report the incident to Amazon’s customer service so the company can investigate the complaints. The person can also report these calls and emails, as well as other scams, to the BBB Scam Tracker.

For more information on these and other scams, visit their website here.