With the holiday season in full swing, the City of Cortland Police Department recently issued a warning of smishing scams.
“Have you received unsolicited mobile text messages with an unfamiliar or strange web link that indicates a USPS delivery requires a response from you? If you never signed up for a USPS tracking request for a specific package, then don’t click the link,” according to a Facebook post.
According to the post, smishing is a “form of phishing that involves a text message or phone number. Victims will typically receive a deceptive text message that is intended to lure the recipient into providing their personal or financial information. These scammers often attempt to disguise themselves as a government agency, bank, or other company to lend legitimacy to their claims.”
It is noted that USPS utilizes the 5-digit short codes to send and receive SMS to and from mobile phones.
“The criminals want to receive personally identifiable information (PII) about the victim such as: account usernames and passwords, Social Security number, date of birth, credit and debit card numbers, personal identification numbers (PINs), or other sensitive information. This information is used to carry out other crimes, such as financial fraud.
“The Postal Service offers free tools to track specific packages, but customers are required to either register online, or initiate a text message, and provide a tracking number. USPS does not charge for these services. USPS will not send customers text messages or emails without a customer first requesting the service with a tracking number, and it will not contain a link. So, if you did not initiate the tracking request for a specific package directly from USPS and it contains a link: don’t click the link.”
If people receive a suspicious text message but expecting a parcel, report it and visit USPS.com for tracking and additional resources. Visit the fraud prevention page by clicking here to protect from consumer fraud.
Below is how to report USPS-related smishing:
- To report USPS related smishing, send an email to [email protected].
- Without clicking on the web link, copy the body of the suspicious text message and paste into a new email.
- Provide your name in the email, and also attach a screenshot of the text message showing the phone number of the sender and the date sent.
- Include any relevant details in your email, for example: if you clicked the link, if you lost money, if you provided any personal information, or if you experienced any impacts to your credit or person.
- The Postal Inspection Service will contact you if more information is needed.
- Forward the smishing/text message to 7726 (this will assist with reporting the scam phone number).
Any non-USPS related smishing complaints can be sent to the following law enforcement partners of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service:
- Forward to 7726 (this will assist with reporting the scam phone number).
- Report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI), Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3) at ic3.gov/complaint.
