In this file photo, an Amazon.com package awaits delivery from UPS in Palo Alto, Calif. Marshalltown police on Monday said an Amazon phone scam is circulating the area.

A new scam variation has appeared locally regarding Amazon.com, according to the Marshalltown Police Department.

The scam works like this: a perpetrator claiming to be an Amazon representative, calls unsuspecting individuals over the phone and claim that the individual has made a purchase on their Amazon account ranging from $500 to $1,500. The perpetrator then explains that if the individual does not make good on their account that Amazon will turn their claim over to the fraud division of the Federal Trade Commission. This is a scam.

Amazon will email you personally — with your name — if there is ever any account issue.

The MPD issued these four tips to help:

• If someone you do not know personally urges you to wire or mail money, it is a scam. Con artists often insist that people wire or mail money because it’s nearly impossible to reverse the transaction and follow the money.

• Don’t send money to someone you don’t know, either in cash or through a wire transfer service. Consider using a payment option that provides protection, if in doubt.

• Don’t agree to deposit a check from someone you don’t know and then wire money back. No matter how convincing the story, it is a lie.

• Don’t respond to any messages that ask for your personal or financial information, regardless of whether the message comes as an email, a phone call, a text, or an ad. Should you get an offer that requires you to wire or send cash: Throw it out, Delete it, and/or Ignore it. Legitimate companies don’t request cash over the phone. If you are suspicious, please give us a call. You can also file a complaint about a potential scam at ftc.gov/complaint.

If you believe that you have been fraudulently solicited, please contact the Marshalltown Police Department to report the incident at 641-754-5725.