Beware of texting scam

A semi-retired resident reported a mail scam that he hopes others won’t fall for.

The retiree, who wished to remain unnamed, used his credit card to order a part for a utility vehicle, valued at less than $10, online from Amazon. He was waiting for its delivery when he received a text message from who he thought was the United State Postal Service (USPS).

It read: “USPS: During transportation, the outer packaging of the item was damaged and the address information was lost, resulting in the inability to deliver the mail package. Please update the delivery address information in the link within 24 hours and we will deliver to you again. https://shorturl.at/ TdkfJ?fIG=eDCtpalETY? cnA=3Wrh7NE6HJ The USPS team wishes you a wonderful day!”

When he clicked on the link, it sent him to another area that requested his address. He gave it.

“It looked legitimate. I just didn’t think it through all the way before you click on that link. I just opened it up and clicked on it,” he said.

When his package arrived from USPS the next day without any signs of damage, he became suspicious.

He notified his credit card company. The scammer attempted to cash in on using his card to obtain $3,500. Luckily, it was caught in time and the scammer was unsuccessful.

“The more they force us to go to e-mail, the more this is going to happen. It’s just so hard to verify anything,” he said.

He later obtained a new credit card.

“Fortunately, they watched it and stopped it and I did not lose any money,” he said about the outcome. “I came out of it fine. It was just inconvenient.”

He doesn’t know how the scammer got his credit card information or even where the text came from.

“I don’t understand how they got the information from Amazon or the postal service to have my phone number to start with,” he said.

The scam is called smishing. It involves a deceptive text message or phone number that attempts to lure the recipient into giving out their personal or financial information, according to the USPS website.

What the scammers really want is any personal or financial information they can use to drain a recipients’ bank account.

Fraud related activities involving senior citizens cost victims more than $3.1 billion in 2022. There were 88,000 victims over the age of 60 who reported being scammed. On average, each victim lost $35,000 to mail fraud.

As a postal inspector with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Lubbock, Joe Moseley’s office handles cases of fraud, identity theft, mail theft, narcotics found in the mail, post office burglaries, robberies of mail carriers; and bombs or other hazardous materials sent through the mail system.

“Is it common. People get unsolicited texts from people who claim to be from the postal service, Amazon, Netflix, asking for information. We need your credit card information or we need your credit card information,” said Moseley. “These types of scams are super prevalent through text messages.”

USPS does not send uninitiated text messages to customers.

It will send text messages or e-mails to customers first requesting to be notified about where their important letter or packages are and when they arrive. Postal workers will even take photos of the delivery. Those messages will never contain a link.

“You’re never going to get a message saying, ‘Hey, your package is damaged,’” Moseley said. “There’s no unsolicited texts or phone calls. Always, always, always, it’s a scam. Unless you sign up for notifications, you’re not going to get that stuff.”

USPS also won’t ask for payment or credit card information over the phone or through emails or texts. The only time when a postal worker will seek payment is in person and only to collect postage due on delivery.

“That’s done in person. It’s not done over the phone or through text,” Moseley said.

Recipients suspecting the contacts aren’t real, but are expecting a mail delivery, shouldn’t click on any of the links. Report the incident by visiting the USPS.com website from the mobile device or computer, ac- cording to the website.

“If something thinks that they have been scammed specifically involving postal service, they can go online and submit a complaint through uspis.gov or by calling 877-876-2455,” Moseley said.

The retiree now wants the community to know about the scam.

“It’s something everybody should be aware of; should know,” he said.

“I don’t want to see anybody else get scammed this way. It was just so innocent looking.”

How to Report USPS Related Smishing

To report USPS related smishing, send an email to spam@uspis.gov.

nWithout clicking on the web link, copy the body of the suspicious text message and paste into a new email.

nProvide 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.

nInclude 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.

nThe Postal Inspection Service will contact you if more information is needed.

nForward the smishing/ text message to 7726 (this will assist with reporting the scam phone number).