Overview

Amazon has shifted to providing sellers with masked, anonymized phone numbers for the majority of orders, replacing direct customer contact details. The change, rolled out in early 2024, is designed to protect buyer privacy while still enabling carriers to reach recipients during delivery. Sellers must understand the new workflow to keep shipments on schedule and stay within Amazon’s compliance rules.

Key Points

• Anonymized numbers are now the default — For most domestic orders, Amazon replaces the buyer’s real phone number with a proxy number that includes a five‑digit extension unique to each transaction.
• Extension ties to a single order — The five‑digit code changes with every order, so the same proxy number can be reused across multiple sales but each extension points to a different buyer.
• Carrier verification step — When a driver dials the proxy number, the system asks for both the extension and the recipient’s ZIP or postal code; only after both are entered correctly does the call connect to the actual buyer.
• Real numbers still appear for specific shipments — Freight, bulky‑item, and international orders often retain the buyer’s true phone number because those deliveries require more detailed coordination.
• Policy compliance remains mandatory — Whether the number is masked or real, sellers must follow Amazon’s Prohibited Seller Activities and Actions policy when handling any customer contact information.

How Anonymized Phone Numbers Work

1. Order creation generates a proxy number — As soon as a buyer completes checkout, Amazon assigns a generic Amazon‑owned phone number (e.g., 1‑800‑555‑0199) and creates a unique five‑digit extension such as 84231 that is linked exclusively to that order.
2. Seller receives the masked contact — The order detail page shows the proxy number plus the extension; sellers forward this exact string to their third‑party carrier or logistics partner.
3. Carrier initiates the call — The driver dials the proxy number, hears an automated prompt, and is asked to enter the five‑digit extension followed by the buyer’s postal code (e.g., 30301).