How to Avoid Scams and Scams on Amazon (2026)

You can find everything on Amazon—including thousands of varieties of that item. If its actual shelves were turned into a brick-and-mortar store, it would probably be the most fun place in the world. Take power banks, for example. Search for “power bank” on Amazon and you’ll find over 40,000 results, starting with well known like Anker and Belkin to hide brand names and zero reviews. There are hundreds of companies and vendors that can be filtered, with different capabilities, port options, and speed ranges.

So how do you know which brands are the best? Which lists are valid? What is a good price to pay? Are some of these power banks on sale and worth buying, or are they false deductions?

It’s easy to do selling products on Amazon (as it turns out million sales). This means there are a lot of subpar listings coming from sketchy sellers—often with sarcastic names or multiple sellers using the same pictures and claiming to be selling the same thing. Although most products on Amazon are safe and legal, you should be aware of the risks when purchasing. This site has problems false comments and fraudulent items. Amazon has great return policies, including A-to-Z guarantee on products sold by third parties, but you want to avoid early returns.

We can help. Below are a few tips to buy on all Storeespecially before Prime Day on June 23 to 26, to ensure that everything arrives as advertised.

Updated June 2026: I’ve updated this article with the latest tips and information.

Buy Directly From Bezos

Amazon via Louryn Strampe

If possible, you should buy products directly from Amazon. Amazon takes a closer look at its own products than those sold by other sellers. Products that sell directly may arrive as advertised and fit free two-day Prime shipping. Because Amazon handles everything, returns are usually painless. In some cases, you can get a refund for a damaged item without returning it at all.

If you are already looking for products on Amazon, like Our favorite iPadall the time make sure the seller says “Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.” This is usually in one of two places. It’s either on the red tree (with the green “In Stock” text) or under the yellow Add to Cart and orange Buy Now buttons on the right rail. It’s also under these buttons on the Amazon app.

Amazon

If you are looking for an Amazon listing, filter this site’s search results to only show products sold by Amazon.com. It will enhance the quality of the things you see, and remove the most unnecessary, low-quality effects. And again, the products have been tested, so you’ll get what you expect and have an easy time returning them, if the need arises. I will use it Google Pixel 10a as an example of something you can search for. It is our choice for good cheap phone after all.

Step 1: Search for a specific item in the Amazon search box that contains the “All” category. Instead, I searched for “Pixel 10a.”

Step 2: Amazon’s search should select the appropriate department, but if needed, you can go to the top of the left rail and click on the department that fits.