"Don't click the link": How to avoid package delivery text scams
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Holiday shopping is in high gear and so are delivery package scams where scammers impersonate USPS, UPS and FedEx via text and email.
Why it matters: Americans lost roughly $1.3 billion in 2023 to scammers pretending to be from the government or tech support, according to FBI data.
- One in five scam attempts started through a text message or messaging apps like WhatsApp or iMessage, according to a recent report from Consumer Reports, Aspen Digital and the Global Cyber Alliance.
The big picture: The U.S. Postal Service and other carriers are warning consumers not to fall for scams that try to trick them into entering personal information.
- USPS would never contact a consumer via text message, unless the customer initiated the request, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service says.
Phishing vs smishing
Zoom in: Smishing is a form of a cyberattack that involves a text message or phone number while phishing is through email.
- The goal of both smishing and phishing is to lure people into providing personal or financial information.
Threat level: One in five American adults who have encountered online scams have ended up falling for one of them and losing money, the Consumers Reports report found.
- Overall, 46% of American adults said they've encountered a scam or cyberattack, the report found.
Tips to avoid delivery scams
The Better Business Bureau offers the following tips to avoid delivery scams:
- Take precautions for a safe delivery. Get tracking numbers and check the shipping progress. Look at purchasing shipping insurance.
- Watch out for texts, calls, or emails about a missed delivery. Don't click on links in texts or emails but go to the delivery carrier's website directly or log in and use the retailer's tracking tools.
- Request a signature when ordering.
- Don't leave packages sitting on your doorstep. Consider using delivery company lockers or having packages delivered to your workplace or a friend or neighbor who will be home to accept delivery.
- Open your delivery to check for damage or signs of tampering.
Report spam text messages to FTC
The Federal Trade Commission lists three ways to report unwanted text messages.
- Copy the message and forward it to 7726 (SPAM).
- Report it on the messaging app you use and look to report as junk or spam.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Tracking packages with USPS, FedEx, UPS
The bottom line: Sign up for accounts from major shipping carriers in advance and through retailers to legitimately track packages.
- USPS tracking link and Informed Delivery.
- FedEx tracking link and FedEx Delivery Manager.
- UPS tracking link and UPS My Choice.
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