Shoppers seeking updates on their online purchases are receiving fake shipping notifications.
This year-round scam ramps up during the holidays as many consumers wait for gifts to be delivered. The endless texts and phishing emails alert shoppers to a delivery issue requiring immediate attention.
"Have you received any of those?" Scripps News Baltimore's Mallory Sofastaii asked customers at the post office.
“I get a lot of those, yeah,” Ana Cruz replied.
“Yes, all the time,” said Howard Shand.
But Cruz and Shand know better than to click the links in these spam messages.
“I just delete it. I just ignore those emails,” Cruz said.
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However, scammers just need one person to fall for it.
“They’re desperately hoping that you will act so quickly that you will give them whatever they want so that they can steal money from you,” said Karen Morgan, Executive Council member and lead fraud volunteer with AARP Maryland.
AARP is warning shoppers about these scam texts seeking personal information such as date of birth, Social Security Number, or account log ins. And they received a report of someone paying a $0.99 redelivery fee and later realizing they'd been charged $400.
“Do not act quickly on any of these notifications. Stop a minute to recall, did you actually order something? Have you actually sent something? And by the way, if it's the post office, FedEx or UPS, don't they already have your address? Why do they need you to give it to them again?” Morgan suggested.
USPS will never send a text or email without the customer first requesting tracking information and they do not charge for these services.
“I have registered with the post office to receive emails,” said Cruz, who uses USPS Informed Delivery, a free service, to keep track of mail and packages that are scheduled to be delivered.
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Shand doesn’t do a lot of online shopping. “I go direct to a store, so I don't really have that problem. You know, I shop early,” he added.
And he says he's extra vigilant for a reason.
“I've been scammed before, so, you know, it makes you more alert,” Shand said. “Just be careful. Pay attention and don't let down your guard easily.”
It's important not to click on any links in these messages. Even if you don't enter your information, malware could be downloaded onto your device. And some of the links will take you to a fake log-in page designed to steal your password then lock you out of your real account or to hack into other financial accounts.
Click here to see the other 12 Scams of Christmas.
This story was originally published by Mallory Sofastaii at Scripps News Baltimore.
