I got a call telling me they were investigating fraud on my…

The call you got was not from Amazon. They do not make those kinds of calls.  You're the target of a phishing scam.

The type of phone call you received is the way that scammers phish for personal identifying information and get what they need to hack into your account. Scammers hide behind the names of companies with whom most people have accounts, such as Amazon, Apple, Visa or PayPal so that you will speak to them and trust them with information.

When they reach you, they tell you of an unauthorized charge, or warn you about suspected unauthorized activity on your account. The call is designed to panic you so that you call them at a fake number and give them whatever information they ask you for. If it goes according to plan, the scammer fools you into jumping through hoops that divest you of information and your money.

This scam can even sometimes morph into a computer tech scam, where they offer to look into your computer to discover the source of the data breach that created the unauthorized charge or problem. You give them remote access because you think they are Amazon and trust them. Then they hack your computer and steal from your accounts.

To reassure yourself that it was just a scam, log into your Amazon account the way you would if you had never gotten that phone call. Check your order history.  Do you see something there you didn't order? Then check the credit card you associate with your Amazon account and see if there's anything strange there. I'm betting there won't be.

If there is, dispute the charge with your credit card carrier and then change your Amazon password. If there is no such charge, there's simply no problem with your account at all.

If you gave up any information to the scammer or gave then remote access to your computer, you will have to take precautions against identity theft. If you did, then let me know so I can tell you what precautions to take.

If you want to report the fraud, you can fill out an online report with the FBI at http://www.IC3.gov/default.aspx and the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.FTC.gov/complaint

You can report the matter online to the FTC at www.FTC.gov. Give them the phone number.  They may be able to shut the number down.

Any other follow-up questions?