UPS/USPS Scam Text or Email
The hook
You receive a text, it informs you that you weren't there to sign for a package and you must confirm a time to redeliver. You don't remember what it was that you ordered but you assume it must be important so you follow the think and fill in your details. You have just been scammed.
The hook - email
UPS scammers also send out emails, such as the one pictured below. These are possibly less common but prevalent nonetheless.
The UPS Scam
The UPS impersonation scam is huge. It seems that most people have run into this scam at one point or another, or at least know someone who has. All in all, it's a fairly simple scam. Scare the victim with an urgent message, capture their credentials with a UPS-branded phishing site, and sell or abuse that information.
How to spot a UPS scam text
Check the number
The real UPS will send their messages with a 5-digit short number, not a normal 10-digit one. You can also check if you have received messages from the number before, UPS's number is 69877.
Check the content
UPS will send you a message asking you to accept their SMS program before sending any tracking information. Make sure that you have received this message before any other. The URL for any link should be from ups.com or m.ups.com. Make sure that you aren't getting tricked by a look alike.
Spotting a UPS Scam Email
Check the email address
The first place to check is, of course, the email. Make sure that the domain is correct. The domain is the part of the email that comes after the '@' symbol. For example, the domain for [email protected] would be copio.org. The domain should match the website it claims to represent, in this case, ups.com.
Check the subject
The next place to check is the subject of the email. Does it contain strange characters, random spaces, or substitutions? An example of this might be "C0NFIRMATI0N". In this case, the scammers have replaced the letter 'o' with a zero. This helps them avoid detection by spam filters. Another hint can be all caps being used, strange fonts, or typos.
Check the content
In a perfect world, you would never have to check the content of a malicious email, you should be able to detect it from the subject and address alone. If you do open a malicious email though, check for urgency. Did you suddenly get your account locked and have a day to confirm your bank details? Did you win a prize and have mere hours to log in and collect? Scammers use tactics like these to make you rush, leaving your better judgment by the wayside. You should also check to make sure it looks right. Does the formatting look right? Is the grammar correct? Scammers often make mistakes, but attention to detail will keep you safe.
It's a phish!
If you have found a phishing email, you should forward it to [email protected] and mark it as spam. We will take care of everything for you. To report a scam text, copy the content and send it to 7726 (SPAM). The message can then be filtered and blocked in the future.
I fell for a UPS Impersonation Scam
If you fall for a scam like this it is important to change any information you gave to the scammers that can be used against you. This includes banking information, driver's licenses, or documents you uploaded pictures of. Contact your local police or the team at scamhelp.info for support.