While the holiday season is coming to an end and millions of gifts have already been sent and received, although some may still be coming in.
If you are still waiting for some packages to be delivered United States Postal Service, notify the agency customers be on high alert for scam text messages posing as the USPS.
These fake messages, often related to package tracking or delivery, contain “unknown or strange” web links that prompt you for a response and may lead to a series of requests asking you to provide personal or financial information.
The USPSThe user warning is simple: “don’t click the link!”.
This type of scam is known as “smiling” and involves a text message or phone number with a deceptive message to obtain personal information from the recipient.
“These scammers often try to masquerade as a government agency, bank or other business to lend legitimacy to their claims.” the agency said.
“USPS uses 5-digit short codes to send and receive SMS ai from cell phones.”
Scammers want to convince people to share information such as their usernames, passwords, Social Security number, date of birth, credit and debit card numbers or sensitive information.
“This information is used to carry out other crimes, such as financial fraud,” the USPS stated in a statement.
Although USPS offers free tracking tools, customers must register online, start a test message and provide a tracking number, and they will not send messages or emails to customers first.
The agency also does not charge for these services and will not send any links.
“If you did not initiate the tracking request for a specific package directly from USPS and it contains a link – do not click the link!”
Instead, USPS suggests reporting the message and visiting it USPS.com to track additional information and resources.