As the holiday shopping season heats up, scammers are taking advantage of online shopping activity by sending fake delivery scams via text messages. The US Postal Service (USPS), Federal Express (FedEx), and other courier services have warned consumers about these smishing scams.
According to a new survey, 66% of US adults are worried about falling for holiday-themed scams, with fake text scams topping the list. Scammers send texts claiming that there’s an issue with your package delivery from USPS or FedEx, asking you to click on a link to verify or fix payment details.
These scams can look legitimate but can lead to malware being downloaded onto your device if you click the link. To avoid falling for these scams:
* Look for typos and poor grammar in the message.
* Verify links by visiting the delivery service’s official website instead of clicking on a provided link.
* Be wary of payment requests or urgent messages asking you to fix an issue.
If you think you’ve fallen for a package scam, take immediate action:
* Contact your bank or credit card company and report the incident.
* Report the scam to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), FTC, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, USPS, FedEx, and UPS.
* Consider freezing your credit reports if sensitive information was compromised.
* Sign up for identity theft protection services, which can monitor your personal information on the dark web and alert you to any suspicious activity.
By being aware of these scams and taking steps to protect yourself, you can minimize the risk of falling victim to fake delivery package scams this holiday season.
Source: https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/how-to-spot-usps-fedex-fake-delivery-package-text-scams-this-holiday-season