Hacker Targets Woman's Amazon Account
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NEWARK, NJ (CBSDFW.COM) - A hacker targeted a North Texas woman's Amazon account, draining the nearly $1700 she had on a gift card linked to her account. When she fought back... the hacker tried to humiliate her!
When the police and Amazon couldn't help, she called CBS 11's Cristin Severance for Consumer Justice.
Jonette Ferrier has made 45 Amazon purchases over the last 6 months without any issues.
"It's real easy. We love our UPS guy," said Ferrier.
The she received an alert about some strange activity on her account. The phone number was changed and someone had ordered two game consoles worth more than $1500 to a Boynton Beach, Florida address.
The purchases nearly drained the $1700 she had in credit on an Amazon gift card linked to her account. Thus, Ferrier called Amazon and changed her passwords.
"It was continuing to happen," said Ferrier.
Ferrier said the hacker kept placing orders and Ferrier kept calling to stop it.
"I think we were bound and determined that the hacker was not going to get the merchandise," said Ferrier.
Then Ferrier got an email from the hacker.
"Listen, buddy this is a hold up. Leave it alone and stop cancelling my orders. Don't mess with the account I seized from it expletive, put some respect on it, expletive, expletive," said Ferrier as she read the email.
Again, the hacker kept placing orders and Ferrier kept cancelling.
"Then to really express his displeasure at the whole thing, he's having things sent to me that were inappropriate," said Ferrier.
The hacker ordered sex toys to her home, which she cancelled.
"Hard to express how irritated, how threatened, how maddening that none of it was stopping," said Ferrier.
She said Amazon was sending her emails that they were taking care of it but the hacker kept breaking in.
"He was placing orders to be sent to himself while I was on the phone with Amazon and a supervisor and they are watching it take place," said Ferrier.
While Ferrier kept fighting to make sure the hacker didn't get his goods, she felt Amazon wasn't fighting for her.
"So Amazon has their merchandise back and I don't have my credit," said Ferrier.
Amazon did refund Ferrier's account the full amount of more than $1500 after being contacted by CBS 11's Consumer Justice Unit.
The company did not comment on how the hacker was able to access Ferrier's account
Ways to protect your Amazon account:
*Turn on the two-step verification feature on Amazon where the site sends a special code to you through text. You use that code to get into your account.
*You could also remove any card linked to your account and manually type in the information every time you make a purchase.
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