Thinking Outside the Box

As shippers forecast another record year of holiday deliveries, scammers are ramping up their efforts to take advantage.

As the holidays approach and deliveries adorn your porch, remain diligent in protecting yourself against package delivery scams. It’s become all too common to receive a text message from a contact alleged to be a carrier that says they were unable to deliver a package. The message might claim the package is from a friend and you may be asked to reply and confirm your identity.

In package delivery scams, victims are asked for personal information and in some cases a credit card number to schedule another attempt at delivery. In other variations, victims are contacted by email or phone. Some scammers send a text or email containing an embedded link with instructions to track the package by clicking, which of course can download malware to the device.

Avoiding delivery (and other) scams:

• Inspect links carefully, especially when they come in unsolicited texts or emails. Service providers are not contacting customers via email or text about packages. Be wary of official-looking communications – popular brands can be spoofed easily by changing just one letter or character.

• Watch for professional emails from unsecured addresses. Online communication from a delivery agency will be sent using their own secure domain. Always be suspicious of communications from unsecured addresses.

• Never share personal information with an unverified contact. If asked to share sensitive information incoming via text, email, or phone call, end the conversation immediately.

If you're targeted:

If you believe you’ve been targeted by a pending package scam, it’s important not to engage. Delete any suspicious text messages and block the number of the contact. Similarly, delete suspicious emails and mark them as spam. You can learn more about common scams, and report them on the Federal Trade Commission website.