Email users are being warned about a scam that uses big-name companies to convince people to divulge their personal information online. A recent phishing scam has been targeting inboxes with emails that appear to be from Amazon or Apple.

The phishing emails masquerade as confirmations for nonexistent purchases from the retail giants. The emails have subject lines such as “Your invoice from Apple #ID 689345” or “Your Amazon order #8451290 for $557 has shipped.” The Ulster County District Attorney’s Office Division of Consumer Affairs in New York said such emails are most likely fake. Scammers are using them to steal private information from recipients who panic because they did not make the purported purchases.

The office warned people who receive such emails to refrain from clicking on links in the message. Doing so could download malware to a person’s computer or direct them to a fake website that asks them to enter their login credentials in order to view the bogus purchase. Providing such private information could allow the scammer to hijack an account and rack up a large bill.

The Consumer Affairs office recommended recipients of such fake emails to visit the actual website of the company and contact its customer service department to check whether the message is genuine.

If you have been accused of phishing or other internet crimes, contact the knowledgeable criminal defense attorneys at Brill Legal Group.