DENVER — A viewer named Adree sent Steve On Your Side a screenshot of a text message he received last week claiming that a package had been put on hold and directing them to visit a website to update information.
Adree said after clicking on a link, they were directed to verify their address and then prompted to pay 30 cents to deliver the package. Adree said they didn’t pay the money. But the scammer may have already gotten what they wanted.
A recent survey from AARP's Elder Watch found that four in 10 Colorado adults report they have had imposters pretend to be shipping companies. The scams become prevalent during the holiday season when more people are shopping online and waiting for things to arrive at their doorstep.
“They're going to ask you for your name, maybe even financial information, your address, things that you want to stay private,” said Meghan Compton with the Denver chapter of the Better Business Bureau. “They really are trying to count on the fact that you are distracted, that you've ordered a ton of packages. Most people are doing all their Christmas shopping right now.”
Steve On Your Side checked in with major shipping companies about how they alert customers of any problems along the way.
USPS
“The Postal Service offers free tools to track specific packages, but customers are required to either register online, or initiate a text message, and provide a tracking number,” United States Postal Service Spokesman James Boxrud told Steve On Your Side.
A great way to find out what is coming to your home is to sign up for the Postal Service’s Informed Delivery, which requires customers to create an account and verify their identity. Each day the postal service then sends those customers an e-mail with images of mail due to arrive that day and tracking numbers for packages due to be delivered soon.
The Postal Service also has more information about how to report phishing efforts here.
UPS
On its website, UPS specifically says “UPS does not request payments, personal information, financial information, account numbers, IDs, passwords, or copies of invoices in an unsolicited manner through email, mail, phone, or fax or specifically in exchange for the transportation of goods or services.”
The company recommends frequent shippers sign up for a MyChoice account to track their shipments, or use the company’s tracking feature to enter a tracking number to get up-to-date tracking information.
FedEx
FedEx’s website also specifically states: “FedEx does not request, via unsolicited mail, email, or text, any personal information about your account credentials or identity.”
FedEx also offers an account feature for frequent shippers, and you can enter known tracking numbers for a package here.
Amazon
Amazon tells users to be on the lookout for signs of scams like false urgency, demand for personal information or requests to send money outside of the Amazon platform. The company has a reporting feature on its website for anyone who believes they’ve received a scam text message.
Amazon users can log into their accounts to see orders and track shipments through Amazon’s website.
Compton with the BBB said anyone who makes a purchase online and wonders where their package may be should log back in through the retailers website to see if they can find a tracking number for the shipment.
“Pretty much everywhere you order from all of the major retailers, all of the major vendors, they're going to provide the tracking information for your package,” she said. “And the best thing to do when in doubt is to always go directly to the vendor where you purchased it from.”
Reporting scam package texts
If you get a spam message involving the USPS, you can report it by sending an email to spam@uspis.gov.
If you receive a spam message involving one of the other carriers, you can forward the message to the number 7726, report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission and file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3).
You can also help others in the same situation by sending a fraud report to the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker.
What if I already clicked the link?
Compton said people who clicked a link or provided any information to a potential scammer should contact their bank and other financial institutions and consider filing a fraud alert on their credit reports.
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