12/10/2024
The holiday season is the time of giving, but unfortunately, some believe it is the time of stealing.
The U.S. Postal Service is reminding customers the importance of avoiding trending scams while sending and receiving gifts this year. Perhaps one of the most popular scams is "smishing," which, in the case of holiday mail, appears as fraudulent text messages indicating package tracking. Undisclosed texts with questionable tracking information and clickable links should be avoided in order to prevent scammers from gaining personal information.
Never heard of smishing? Here's what to know about the fraudulent act, how to prevent it and what real tracking messages look like from the U.S. Postal Service.
What is smishing?
Smishing is a form of phishing, the fraudulent practice of sending messages disguised as a reputable source to induce individuals to reveal personal and/or financial information, such as social security numbers, credit and debit card numbers, and account passwords.
Smishing, specifically, is done through text messaging.
A victim of smishing typically receives a deceptive text message from a scammer trying to act as a government agency, bank or other institution, like the USPS.
Does the USPS send tracking text messages?
Yes, the USPS offers text message tracking of packages, but customers must register to initiate it. USPS does not send tracking texts or emails without a customer first requesting the service, the U.S. Postal Inspection service states.
What does a package tracking text from the USPS look like?
Depending on the the information requested, tracking texts from the USPS may vary, but generally, all texts include the following:
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Tracking number
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Package status
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Date, time and location
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Instructions to stop receiving further messages
Per the USPS, an example text message for an expected delivery may look like: USPS 01123456789123456789, Expected Delivery by: Monday, September 11, 2017, Reply STOP to cancel.
USPS tracking texts never include clickable links.
What should you do if you receive a smishing message?
If you believe you have received a deceptive message from a sender disguised as the USPS, report the message via email to spam@uspis.gov. Take the following steps to file a report:
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Without clicking the link, copy the body of the message and paste into a new email.
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Attach a screenshot of the text message, showing the sender's phone number and date the message was sent.
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Include your first and last name in the email.
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Include any other relevant details. For example, if you clicked the link and provided personal or financial information or lost money, share these details.
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Forward the text message to 7726 (SPAM).
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will contact you, if further information is needed.
If you receive a smishing message that is not related to the USPS, forward the message to 7726 and file a report with the Federal Trade Commision or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center