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This article is from Trend Micro.
Isn’t there something inherently exciting about waiting for a package to be delivered? As strange as it may sound, most would say they agree! Especially when many of us are still spending most of our time at home. However, as always, scammers are out to ruin the fun!
We’ve reported on package delivery scams several times in the past, but this week new versions of them have gone viral, including USPS and DHL variants. Continue reading to check out how the scams work and to learn tips for how you can protect yourself!
Posing as a delivery company, scammers send a fake delivery notification to you via text message or email. They claim that you have missed the delivery of a package or you have to pay a delivery fee to get the package. The notifications always contain a phishing link that the scammers want you to click on.
Why do they want people to click on the links? The scammers’ ultimate goal is to steal your personal information. They direct you to phishing sites so they can collect your sensitive data for their own good. The phishing links will lead you to:
In some cases, they lead to online survey pages that say you can claim a gift by completing an online questionnaire. After you fill out the survey, you are prompted to enter lots of personal information like credit card numbers before your gift can be delivered
In other instances, the links lead to fake login pages impersonating brands. These pages require you to submit login credentials to view your delivery status, change your settings, or whatever else the scammers have said that you need to do before your package can be delivered.
Scammers can record any information you enter on the phishing pages and use the data to commit further cybercrimes. For example, they could take control of your bank account, transfer all your money out, and even use your information to commit identity theft!
Scammers impersonate USPS and ask you to check the status of your delivery or change your settings via the phishing link:
The link takes you to a fake online survey page (with the USPS logo) that says you’ve won an “exclusive gift”:
After you finish the survey, you need to enter a delivery address and credit card details to claim the gift. Guess what? The gift will never appear, and your credentials have been stolen by the scammers.
DHL is one of the most frequently impersonated delivery companies. Scammers prompt you to click on the phishing link to track your package:
The link in the text messages leads to a fake DHL page. Be careful! Everything you enter here will be sent directly to the scammers!
Think package delivery scams only happen via text messages? Think again! Recently, we’ve detected scam emails that say your package can’t be delivered. We’ve seen them in various languages too, including English, Spanish, and French. Here are the subject lines from these bogus emails:
Here is an example email (in Spanish):
Scammers instruct you to click on the links in the email to confirm the status of your package. Again, the links are phishing links, leading to a fake tracking page where you are asked to enter personal information. Don’t fall for it!
2. Trend Micro Check on WhatsApp:
Send a link or a screenshot of a suspicious text message to Trend Micro Check on WhatsApp for immediate scam detection:
Download Trend Micro Maximum Security for even more protection, including Web Threat Protection, Ransomware Protection, Anti-phishing, and Anti-spam Protection. Gain access to the Privacy Scanner for Facebook and Twitter, Social Networking Protection, and Parental Controls, too. Click the button below to give it a try:
