That Amazon Recall Text Isn't Actually Real - Here's What You Should Know

It can be concerning when a product you just purchased gets a recall. Is it safe to use? Is it going to break? Unfortunately, scammers have used this fear to trick unsuspecting victims by sending a text claiming a recent Amazon purchase has been recalled due to supposed safety issues. However, this text is not an official announcement from Amazon, and clicking the link could result in a scammer getting access to your private information or money. This is what's known as a smishing text, an unfortunate trend that involves sending phishing links over SMS. 

The text will claim it's an "Amazon Safety Recall," prompting you to stop using the product and request a full refund. Of course, this will require you to click on a link to a fake Amazon storefront where you'll be asked to provide personal information — except the info won't go to Amazon at all and will instead give sensitive data to scammers. Scammers used a similar scheme to target Amazon Prime members in the summer of 2025, except it was in the form of an email claiming their subscription was being renewed at a higher cost (another way to alarm users and prompt a fast reaction).

Amazon has become a target for scammers due to the large number of purchases that people make on the site. CapitalOne estimates there are nearly 13 million Amazon purchases a day, so scammers are bound to catch someone who made a recent purchase. However, there are some ways to immediately tell if a text about an Amazon recall is a scam. First, check the grammar and the professionalism of the text — this recent scam has a very awkward structure, run-on sentences, and improper tenses used throughout. 

If you're still unsure, remember that Amazon doesn't send text messages to customers if there is a product recall. This is because Amazon is considered a distributor, not the company that produced and released the product. In fact, Amazon sometimes won't even be aware of the recall itself. When Amazon does catch wind of a recall, it will place warning labels on the product detail page or remove it from the site altogether. Amazon won't reach out directly. 

Instead of clicking the link in the text, search for the products you recently purchased on Amazon to check for a warning label. Once logged into Amazon, you can check your Message Center in Your Account to see if you received an official message. You can also check out the original company's website to see if there's an ongoing recall, just in case Amazon missed it.