INDIANAPOLIS — The U.S. Postal Service is warning about another push by scammers to impersonate their agency in order to trick consumers out of money and information.
For the last few weeks, Americans phones have been flooded with texts that appear to the from the USPS, warning about a problem with a delivery. The messages may look a little different, but they have the same basic message; you have a package or a delivery that needs your attention. Your item is being held at a “distribution center,” and can’t be delivered because of incomplete address information.
Some of the messages make the issue sound urgent by saying you have 24 hours before your delivery in canceled. There’s also a link or web address for you to follow so you can go to their website and update complete your information.
Don’t click that link.
The website is bogus and will either collect your sensitive information, infect your device with malware, or demand payment for your delivery.
The USPS warns that the agency will never text you unless you’ve asked them to. The USPS only sends text messages or emails to customers who’ve requested updates on a specific a package with a tracking number. In addition, the the Postal Service only uses 5-digit short codes to send texts. So a real text from the real USPS will be from a 5-digit number.
Unless you’re expecting a text from the Postal Service, you won’t get one.
HOW TO REPORT USPS Related SMISHING:
To report USPS related smishing, send an email to [email protected].
- Without clicking on the web link, copy the body of the suspicious text message and paste into a new email.
- Provide your name in the email, and also attach a screenshot of the text message showing the phone number of the sender and the date sent.
- Include any relevant details in your email, for example: if you clicked the link, if you lost money, if you provided any personal information, or if you experienced any impacts to your credit or person.
- The Postal Inspection Service will contact you if more information is needed.
- Forward the smishing/text message to 7726 (this will assist with reporting the scam phone number).
Complaints of non-USPS related smishing can also be sent to any of the following law enforcement partners of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service:
- • Forward to 7726 (this will assist with reporting the scam phone number).
- • Report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission.
- • The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI), Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3
