An elderly Missoula woman lost nearly $1 million in an elaborate scam involving a fake Amazon support person, the “Social Security Department,” a supposed U.S. Marshal and in-person pickups from her front door, reports the Sacramento Bee.
The woman, who was not named, said the scam started with a phone call from a person claiming to be from Amazon who asked her if she’d purchased computer equipment. The scam ended with a “ruse” that led to the arrest of 29-year-old Zabi Ullah Mohammed, who lives in New Jersey.
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According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana, Mohammed has been charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He could face up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least three years of supervised release.
How did the scam unfold?
According to the Attorney’s Office, the fraud began when the woman received a call from someone claiming to be from Amazon’s fraud department. The caller asked if she’d recently purchased computer equipment. When she said no, the caller transferred her to someone claiming to be from Social Security.
That person told her she was the victim of identity theft and that her information had been linked to a money laundering investigation. To keep her funds safe, she was connected to someone identifying himself as U.S. Marshal “Carlos Silva,” who told her to withdraw all her funds so they could be “legalized.” She was assured the funds would be returned.
Between April 2 and April 18, she handed over more than $900,000 in cash and gold bars to individuals who came to her home, believing authorities would safely hold her money. Only later did she realize she’d been scammed.
The woman contacted sheriff’s deputies and agreed to participate in a sting operation. On May 12, she told “Silva” that she had $57,000 ready for pickup. When the supposed agent sent a driver, she handed him a box containing a hidden tracking device instead of cash.
That driver — later identified as Mohammed — took the box, drove to a nearby restaurant and left it in the parking lot. Investigators believe he discovered the tracker. He was soon pulled over by law enforcement and, during questioning, claimed he was simply an Uber driver doing pickups for other people, reports the Sacramento Bee.
In a statement to the media, an Amazon representative said:
“Scammers that attempt to impersonate Amazon put consumers at risk. We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance," adding. "We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”
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How to protect yourself from Amazon scams
Amazon reported a 71% increase in phone-based scams in the UK between February and March 2025, making it crucial to spot these scams and protect your identity, finances and loved ones. Common Amazon scams include:
Fake order confirmation emails. You may receive a message about a purchase you never made, often accompanied by a link to “cancel” the order, which leads you to a phishing site.
Requests to change your payment method. Fraudsters may impersonate Amazon support and claim there’s a billing issue that needs to be resolved. This is an effort to gain access to credit, debit or bank account information.
Fake tech support pop-ups. These may appear while browsing and urge you to call “Amazon support” immediately. These generally lead to requests for money, gold or gift cards.
Membership scams. Scammers call, saying your Prime membership is about to expire and claim you’ll face a hefty fee if you don’t respond quickly.
Account suspension. You may receive a text or email saying your Amazon account has been suspended due to suspicious activity. You may be prompted to share login information.
Delivery driver scams. A phishing scam where the original text or email is about a supposed Amazon delivery. It may trick you into providing your login information.
Fake job listings. These typically begin with a message (often via text) offering a job with unrealistic pay. Then, they direct you to a third-party site that requests personal information. They may also request prepayment through crypto or gift cards.
Amazon recommends never giving out personal or payment information over the phone. Even if your caller ID displays "Amazon," it could be a fake number. If you receive a text or email, never click the links; always go to Amazon.com or your Amazon app to log in and check your orders.
If you think you’ve been scammed, visit Amazon’s Customer Service page to report it. You should also consider contacting local law enforcement.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
