Prime Members Can Share Gifts with Only Mobile Number and Email ID

Amazon is launching a new gifting feature today. This new feature allows subscribers to its Prime service to send gifts to others using only an email address or phone number no address is required.

Amazon Prime members can only send the gift. The program is limited to the continental US, and it can only be used only on mobile devices. has built-in some safeguards the gift-giver never gets access to the recipient’s mailing address. This sounds like a bad idea that is ripe for abuse by scammers, stalkers, and those who take pleasure in the online harassment of others.

Gift-giver plans to surprise the recipient with a present but doesn’t know the recipient’s mailing address. Then the Gift-giver has to know the recipient’s email address or phone number. Gift-giver chooses the gift on his Amazon mobile app, selects the add gifts receipt for easy returns options during check-out. Then they will see an option to let the recipient provide their address.

The Amazon prime user adds the recipient’s email address or mobile number. At this point, the gift giver’s card isn’t charged, but a hold is put on their payment card for the amount of the purchase. The recipient gets a notice via a text message or email that there’s a present from the gift-giver waiting for her. Note that if the recipient doesn’t have an  account, they can create one at this point. The recipient must have an Amazon account to accept the gift, but only the giver must be a Prime member.