An Amazon phone scam that’s hear to stay. And expected to get worse during the holidays. Scammers call and say there’s a issue with your Amazon account.

Two friends in Springfield heard from the swindlers. It started with Sue Long.

“I was still asleep. I was not thinking how I was supposed to be thinking. Any other time I would have hung up on them,” Long said.

She was told there’s a problem with her Amazon account. She was instructed to download the AnyDesk app. It’s a screen share device. She had to pay up to fix it. She bought Visa gift cards. Relayed the numbers on the back, $1,500 gone.

“That would have paid my bills for probably three or four months,” Long said.

“I got that text Tuesday,” said her friend, Robin Phillips. “I came down. I was telling her about it. That’s when she told me what happened to her. I asked her why she didn’t call me before she done that. I would have known right away.”

“I’m still mad at myself because I fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker,” Long said.

“It’s ridiculous these people out there prey on other people and their money,” Phillips said.

This is a great reminder to check in with your family and friends. It’s okay to be a little nosey so we can all assist each other.

If you get this call or text — ignore it! If you’re worried, hang up and check your Amazon account to make sure everything is fine. Report these scams to the Better Business Bureau and Attorney General.

Three ways to dodge scam calls.

1. Don’t answer unknown numbers.

When you answer an unknown number, crooks know you have a working number and they’ll keep calling.

2. Join both No Call Lists.

There are two. Federal and State. These lists don’t block all these annoying calls, but it’s better to be on the list than not.

Federal Do Not Call:

1-888-382-1222

https://www.donotcall.gov/

Missouri Do Not Call:

866-No Call 1 (866-662-2551)

https://ago.mo.gov/civil-division/consumer/no-call

3. Try an app.

Consumer Reports says try: Nomorobo, Hiya, Mr. Number, RoboKiller, and YouMail. For a landline, try a call blocker, it’s a small device you put next to your phone. Those can cost anywhere from 20 to 100 dollars, but it might be worth your peace of mind.