This holiday season may bring time for reflection, rest, and spending time with loved ones, but it also brings an increased risk of scams as many look to take advantage of those who are vulnerable.
The United States Postal Service is raising a red flag about one type of scam known as “smishing,” the combination of “SMS” and “phishing,” which involves the use of scam texts.
With so many ordering gifts online and watching their delivery notifications, the USPS is warning to stay clear of text messages that appear to be from shippers but are actually from scammers looking to steal your personal information.
The USPS warns not to click on any links or call any phone numbers that are provided to you unsolicited. That means if you didn’t sign up for text alerts but are still getting them, it’s most likely someone smishing.
“USPS will not send customers text messages or emails without a customer-first requesting the service with a tracking number, and it will NOT contain a link,” the USPS warned in an update. “So, if you did not initiate the tracking request for a specific package directly from USPS and it contains a link: don’t click the link!”
Instead, if you are awaiting a package and are looking for an update on its delivery, the USPS says to visit its website directly, where you can enter the tracking number and check its status.
Those who find themselves the victim of smishing are encouraged to copy the content of the message — without clicking on the link — and the phone number it came from and text it to 7726. This will report the message to the US Postal Inspection Service.
The scams can also be reported to the Federal Trade Commission or the FBI.